Non Plus Ultra
by Liz M. J
Summary: Two Evil Heads and a single prey. A fox and its prince. Two sorrows and a salvation. Pain killing Evil - and feeding Good. A new body for the dead - a cleansed soul for that body's stains. The utmost intelligence meets the mightiest courage. Best friends in hate - hunted and hunter in love. I/N, Neji&Sasuke:N. The Unattainable achieved. Here comes the Pain!
1. Mate, Feed, Kill, Repeat

Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.

The guy stepped staggering in the tavern.  
It was a little and dark room, almost empty, walls blackened by smoke and dirt.  
Three men were sitting at a table – the only guests.  
The 'bartender' was somewhat sleeping behind the counter.  
The guy walked there – without saying a word, he picked up something from the filthy wood axe – something that could be food.  
He ate it.  
The bartender slept.  
The men watched him – a smile on the face '_Smart, the boy'_.  
They called him to sit with them, they offered him sake – "No, thanks, really, I haven't eaten yet, it would cut my legs off" – so one of them stood up and went in the backroom, returning with a cup of some sort of pasta.  
The guy ate it, silently.  
Then the men tried to drag him into their conversation: X wanted to kill Y.  
"If they fight, who wins?  
Who do you think is better that wins?"  
The guy looked them with numb eyes and face, then smiled – a sort of grin – and his eyes lit suddenly up, it was like you saw a star in them.  
He answered:  
"The whole thing, I think, is sick".  
The men looked at him for a moment – then laughed with him.  
He went on eating – and managed to be offered an accommodation "for the first nights".  
One of the men seemed to have thought that he was quite an affordable guy.  
In fact he was right, he had always been – of _that_ parish.  
But the guy grinned again, in understanding his thought.  
The problem wasn't the man.  
The problem wasn't the guy, neither; the problem was something this guy had.  
On his skin.  
Almost all over his skin.

Sasuke left Naruto and went home, thoughtful.  
That incredible thing he had seen!  
Yes, Sasuke hadn't much wit – he wasn't quick in thinking, quite slow for his blood and age.  
Sasuke had scarcely realized what he had seen – two monsters fighting, yeah.  
His best friend nearly being killed, with himself, yeah.  
That boy putting out that incredible huge monster – Sasuke thought, they were similar.  
Something disturbed him, in this.  
It was already a problem for him, that Naruto could be mightier than him.  
He wanted to be the strongest of their duo.  
He didn't know why, he often wondered about it; Naruto wouldn't kill him.  
And he wanted to have Naruto beside him.  
What then was the point, in being stronger than him?  
It would be better, being friends, if they were equal.  
But he didn't want this.  
He wanted Naruto to be weaker – smaller – than him.  
His affection for Naruto grew constantly higher.  
It was something easy to identify: it wasn't the 'peer' thing, it was a 'need' thing.  
He _needed_ Naruto.  
Then, this other one – like him.  
Another one stronger than Sasuke – but Sasuke didn't care.  
Why?  
He should have cared.  
He wondered about these things, in the next hours – yeah, this took him hours – lying on bed, dressed and with shoes on.  
He felt always so alone.  
Something was missing, like oxygen and food.  
Something that he couldn't do without.  
He thought that loneliness was doing him in.  
He decided to go back to Naruto.  
His other peer, Sakura, could misunderstand his appearing at that point, in late night.  
He found Naruto awake the same.  
He was thinking, himself, of something.  
The similarity between Sasuke and Gaara.  
Compared with Gaara, Sasuke was psychologically weaker.  
Gaara had surely felt worse things than Sasuke did, he was even in a worse situation than him, Naruto.  
Gaara had actually NEVER felt love.  
Naruto thought '_He needs ME.  
How couldn't I realize this before?  
I am the only one who can comprehend him.  
And Sasuke – he COULD act better.  
Behave better; he's like – always so coward.  
There is something, in his attraction for Orochimaru, that makes me feel that they too – they are similar in some way.  
They are dark, but this darkness means evil.  
Oh, c'mon…Sasuke evil?  
… But then, I guess.  
Neither Orochimaru showed to be evil, I bet, at our age.  
It would be so painful…so wrong, if Sasuke is.  
But I really have to think of Gaara…it's like, I too, I could have someone who gets – my situation.  
Sasuke neither _knows_ of the Kyuubi.  
How could I tell him?  
Yeah, c'mon, I'm a monster, and I always knew and never told ya.  
He'd bid me fuck off…'_

_Thank you for loving me_


	2. Sic

(Sic)

The kidnap trial from Akatsuki had failed.  
Naruto was safe back home; Sasuke was in hospital, and of course he went to visit him.  
Sasuke was angry.  
He challenged Naruto to fight.  
But Naruto couldn't help thinking that it wasn't the right choice.  
He had faced the fact that Sasuke was in some way jealous – of him, of his brother, of whatever.  
Naruto was young, but he could understand that jealousy isn't a good reason to risk death – Sasuke's or _his_ one.  
He refused to fight and sat down beside him.  
"When you'll get better we'll think of it. However I don't want"  
"You're PITYING me?"  
"… I am not only myself, Sasuke.  
I am like that guy, like Gaara.  
I have a demon inside me too.  
And when I get angry – really angry – the demon can break out of my control.  
And I don't totally control it.  
I don't want to kill you – but I neither want you to get hurt, if you know what I mean…" and he laughed.  
Sasuke looked him, cold and thoughtful as a snake.  
Then smiled.  
But it was a fake smile – he was still angrily serious.  
"Gaara.  
You met him on the right time"  
"Oh, no!  
The time was completely wrong.  
He was the right one to meet!"  
Sasuke kept his mouth closed, but his face showed quite clearly his anger.  
"The same thing I think of Orochimaru".  
"Yeah, but Gaara _won't_ kill me to reincarnate in me, you know.  
You're _still_ thinking of going there?"  
"Something makes me feel like you wouldn't miss me that much" he hissed, looking him with eyes ajar.  
Naruto looked his face, baffled, and then took a decision.  
"Sakura, could you leave us alone for a moment, please?"  
She went out of the room without even replying.  
Sasuke followed her walk with his eyes, then laid them again on Naruto.  
"What's up, then?"  
Sasuke didn't answer.  
A nearly invisible smile bent his mouth.  
"WHAT'S UP, THEN?"  
Naruto approached the bed and stood there, towering on him, folded arms and an angry look.  
Sasuke:  
"Mh mh" smiling.  
"I thought you found a peer" he said, lightly.  
The words slipped like water off his tongue.  
But in his voice tone you could hear all the covert venom in them.  
"What's up? He's he, you're you.  
I would miss you?  
I don't want to!  
But I wouldn't say you give a damn!"  
"I have something else to do in my life than dogging your friendship, you know.  
I have a man to kill"  
Naruto, bitterly and even quite spiteful:  
"Huh.  
_You_ have a man to kill.  
How many should _he_ kill?  
My parents are dead too, Sasuke, _and I neither know who they were_.  
But I ain't totally messing things up because I feel pain!"  
When he realized what he said, he could only try to mend with a "Sorry…"  
But Sasuke wasn't listening.  
Actually he stopped listening him at the word _he_.  
He.  
Here comes the pain in the ass.  
Naruto continued apologizing:  
"Who the fuck am I to criticize your state of mind?  
It's that…when you behave like this, you're always leaving me suspect – whether it's you or Orochimaru that…"  
"Your justification is always Orochimaru? It's your only alibi?  
It's on ME, his seal, Naruto.  
_I_ have problems because of Orochimaru, not you.  
And I have to kill my brother – I need his power.  
That's all. I'm not giving it all up only for your friendship".  
Naruto stepped back, offended.  
"Someone gave up more - only for the trust I put in him.  
The same trust I did put in you.  
But it seems that a vicious bastard who buys you using your sorrow _is better than me_, for you."  
"Actually the same thing I could say of a guy who tried to kill _your best friend_"  
"When it suits you, you remember you are, yeah?"  
Sasuke didn't answer, but said:  
"Think of your business and leave this Orochimaru thing to me.  
I know what I do, I don't need your advice.  
Trust your precious killer, if you have to".  
"You know what?  
You know what, Sasuke?  
Gaara is a thousand times BETTER than you.  
It's not only that I think it, okay!  
He is! Better – than – you!  
If you only behaved like him, instead of whining always-"  
"WHINING ALWAYS?  
Come here!  
Here and I'll show you how I do whine!"  
Naruto didn't.  
Few weeks before he would have followed him and what he said.  
But in this time, his esteem and admiration for Sasuke abated exponentially.  
Sasuke grinned angrily.  
"You little…" he stood up, throwing the linen off the bed, and stepped toward him, then stopped.  
Naruto knew this wasn't completely Sasuke's behavior; he knew the he had to abide the way Orochimaru affected Sasuke's mind.  
But this was really too much.  
"What you're trying to do, in the end?  
You're trying to sever me from him?  
Or what?"  
"He's suddenly become incredibly important for you – and SUDDENLY I am dispensable!  
HOW STRANGE, Naruto!  
You think you can dump your friends like this? Huh?  
Shouldn't I have _a reason_ to stay here?  
Your friendship is only a human being's friendship, Naruto.  
The BEST human being I'll ever know, and so are you.  
But only a human being.  
It won't resurrect my family, okay, but even – SHARING you with someone else!  
You do perfectly know that _he_'ll waste _my _time – with you"  
"Drop the _with you_, Sasuke.  
I perfectly understand what you think.  
My time is yours, then?  
You want to do whatever the fuck _you _want with MY time?  
News for you, darling, _my time is mine_.  
Not yours.  
What's the problem?"  
The problem was that Sasuke didn't want to be in abeyance on Gaara's fault.  
"You're putting me aside because he's arrived.  
Face it."  
"There must be a reason, then, if I do it!  
Do you think I have no needs?  
I must choose what's better for me!  
And if he is better, dear Sasuke, it's only _your fault_!  
You think you can do whatever the fuck you like with me. Isn't it?"  
"Just stop talking of _me._  
I want to talk of _him_.  
Drop this thing down.  
Really I don't see the _need_ you have of looking for him!"  
"_Need_?  
Yes, because I said it.  
I need the way he makes me feel, Sasuke, not _him_.  
Human beings are not things that I need, to me.  
To you, apparently they are.  
I don't need _Gaara.  
_Make up your mind, now.  
Forget this.  
I won't dump him.  
Mine is not need, for him.  
It's _abiding affection_" he said proudly.  
"_Then stop breaking my balls for this Orochimaru thing!_  
I want you to stay – how can I say it – treat him like _all the others_, Naruto, fuck, you said it, you have _numbers_ of friends!  
BUT NOT LIKE MY PEER for you!"  
"…Peer…" Naruto narrowed his eyes in pronouncing this word in loud voice.  
"He neither knew me.  
I never called him friend.  
But he _didn't dare to give me orders!_  
HOW overbearing you are!"  
"You're grotesque, when you get angry.  
Is this the demon?" laughed Sasuke at his face.  
"How does it feel to be bad, _coolest guy in town_ Sasuke Uchiha?" fired back Naruto spitefully.  
"Feels like a burn from which you never learn to fear fire…" and he laughed loudly.  
"Kind of – remember this, Sasuke – like – whatever I do with you – it's not _my_ wayward choice without basis.  
It's a consequence of what you did.  
You're wayward, and you choose it.  
It's cause and effect.  
And stop being such a jealousy ass!  
You won't die if I have another friend!"  
Sasuke didn't answer, stepped forward and laughed.  
Naruto continued:  
"You won't die if I love someone else! Remember then that if you want me to accept-"  
"YOU remember this, bitch. I've just begun."

_An angel's smile is what you sell – you promised me heaven and put me through hell!  
Chains of love got a hold on me – when passion's a prison, you can't break free_


	3. Eyeless

Eyeless

Naruto looked him hatefully.  
"'_BITCH_', say this of your sis…"  
He couldn't end the sentence.  
A fist blew his mouth leftwards – a nifty right in the jaw.  
Sasuke leered him silently.  
Naruto replied with a slap, and Sasuke with a laugh.  
Naruto was breathless – his hate was slowly spilling into _misunderstanding_ – fading into _fear_.  
What the fuck was _he_ doing?  
Had _he_ completely gone out of his head?  
Naruto thought – _he_ misunderstood everything.  
Better to explain him again – but Sasuke didn't leave him the time to do it.  
"I won't let you replace me with someone else.  
Whoever he is.  
Now the first time someone else gives a fuck about you – you want to forget me.  
You see – how CAN YOU be such a _bitch_?  
You talk of Orochimaru – _you_'re SELLING yourself to the best bidder!  
Is it an auction, your life?  
It doesn't matter a fuck _who I am_?  
It doesn't matter to you, what matters is that you're served and revered?  
I am not your fucking servant – and I _won't allow_ you LEAVE ME to get another one as servant.  
Alright?"  
"Sasuke.  
I can't say you're on a par with Gaara.  
You're showing me that you aren't – right now.  
He wanted to kill me – and still he RESPECTED me!  
You don't.  
It would be _actually_ better for me to look upon him – and leave you to yourself.  
It's not that I didn't think of this!  
It's that you need me now – I know!  
Don't pretend to be ok, Sasuke – you're completely gone _mad_.  
That Orochimaru is fucking up your mind.  
AND DON'T COMPARE HIM WITH GAARA – that scoundrel is pandering you.  
He's a fucking hyena.  
_You were_ on a par with Gaara, for me – before Orofuck showed up.  
Then you've become such a cow-"  
"Better you aren't in a pair with him."  
"I only say you aren't PAR!"  
"I say your pair is mine."  
Sasuke said this walking to Naruto, stopping before him to look straight in his eyes – hardily breathing for the rage.  
He suddenly realized _something_.  
How come he never thought of this?  
_Possession – _tohave him.  
That was the reason…Sasuke grinned.  
That was why he always felt that way, before him…  
Sasuke tore Naruto's headband away.  
"That's what he saw, then…And I saw it so seldom.  
He reached to this point…"  
He wasn't talking – he spoke _snarling _and _hissing.  
_Naruto was looking at him, paralyzed.  
He went on:  
"That _POXY MONSTER_ got this nigh to my level-"  
This insult poured over Naruto's endurance.  
He head-butted him.  
Sasuke grabbed his head with the two hands, holding jaw, chin and cheekbones - and stared him menacingly right in the pupils.  
He kept his head near – after the head-blow his head followed Naruto's one, to end up well nigh abreast.  
Sasuke's breath tuned on Naruto's feeble gasping.  
Naruto saw his eyes lowering – and darkening – they seemed _full_ – like the mouth of an animal fills with saliva when it is hungry and looks for – food.  
Sasuke actually licked his own lips – then raised the eyes again to stare him with a chilling grin – a thrilling grin.  
"You're the only thing that I got.  
You _are only mine._"  
Naruto grabbed his forearms and tried to push him back.  
"Let me go.  
You – this is not normal.  
Sasuke.  
I _said let ME GO – !"  
_While he talked Sasuke had moved a hand to grab his chin, under the mouth, and pull it closer to him – their noses touched.  
Naruto was terrorized.  
He said:  
"DO you wanna kill me?"  
"I DO wanna take your life.  
To reverse it."  
Naruto laughed, puzzled.  
"And WHO the hell are you to do it?"  
Sasuke hold his head firm there with the left hand, and with the right one punched him in stomach, chest and ribs.  
Meanwhile, Naruto grabbed his shoulders and pushed him a little backward – managing to make him step back a little.  
Then Sasuke stopped punching him – grabbed his shirt with one hand, his head with the other and pulled him.  
Naruto pointed his hands on Sasuke's chest – and, instinctively, tried to push his face away.  
Sasuke slapped him, and then Naruto stopped, looking at him – eyes wide like windows.  
Naruto didn't speak.  
He was wordless.  
Sasuke didn't speak.  
He was laughing – devilishly, in low voice – hissing.  
"You're the spitting image of Orochimaru…  
WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?"  
Naruto stopped – because Sasuke had stripped his shirt off him – ripping it asunder.  
Naruto suddenly began to fight – to hit him, punch him, kick him, pushing him back – and Sasuke ran after him.  
Only when he seized him, Naruto thought of shouting.  
There was Sakura out of the door.  
But it _was_ too late for him.  
He had only the time to say:  
"Stay the fuck away from me!"  
Sasuke hit him repetitively in the stomach, until he had no breath to speak – then pushed him down, kicking his belly and swatting his head on the ground.  
He leapt on him and stopped there.  
Naruto murmured in hoarse voice:  
"Always – It's always been in your head?"  
Sasuke grinned, bit his mouth and nicked him.

When he was through, Sasuke stood up and went to sit on the bed, dressing himself again.  
He caught his breath, gulped and cleared his throat.  
"Have to tell you – shut up? Or you get it?" he was still smiling.  
Naruto crouched on the floor.  
He didn't answer.  
He was weeping, silently – no sobs, no sighs.  
He only waited to recover his spirit enough – then he stood up, adjusting his clothes – throwing the pieces of his shirt in the waste bin – and was there to walk out the room when Sasuke called him.  
"Idiot. The bruises"  
Naruto looked at his reflection in the window.  
Two or three purple and green bruises on the face – a number of them on the chest.  
Naruto lowered his head.  
He looked his reflection again and saw – a cut, on the other cheek, starting from the mouth.  
Sasuke's teeth.  
"Kai me, you bastard. I can't, now"  
"Come here, then."  
Naruto walked badly to him – it hurts, this way, you know.  
Sasuke slapped his face for the _'bastard'_ and then Kaied the bruises on face, neck and shoulders.  
He put a hand on Naruto's back – and kaied it too.  
Naruto said: "The face. The cut."  
So, Sasuke grabbed his face and bit it – again – biting especially that cut.  
Then he looked him, pitifully, and said: "Okay…"  
He healed the cut – kissed him normally – and left hold of him.  
Then looked him in the eyes – _hopefully_.  
Naruto was standing there, towering on him, looking him back.  
He was trying to get the strength of reaction to _spit on his face_.  
To hit him.  
To insult him.  
The pain was too much.  
He couldn't simply react – apart weeping like a newborn again.  
But without voice.  
Sasuke stretched his hand out to grab his face – Naruto stepped back, turned and ran away.  
Sakura saw him coming out of the room, weeping.  
She thought of a quarrel.  
And stop.  
But she noticed that Naruto was without shirt – and went to ask Sasuke, to know what happened.  
Her hand on the handle, Sasuke locked the door.  
"Shit!" she said. She tried to talk with him, but Sasuke didn't answer.  
He was peacefully sleeping.  
Naruto ran home – and once he was in, he razed the entire room to pieces.  
He broke down curtains, books, windows, furniture, the floor itself – his hands were covered with cuts.  
He crumbled, kneeling down, crying – sobbing – moaning.  
He realized he couldn't _shout_ there.  
He didn't know why he knew it – but he knew he had to shut it up.  
_No one_ had to know.  
He ran away, then – out of the village, in some lost place – he didn't know – it was the same peak on which Sasuke trained for the Chidori and spoke with _his precious Gaara_.  
Yeah, Gaara.  
Naruto climbed almost running up there, and howled, crying, until he simply finished his breath.

The day Sasuke was left out the hospital, he went to find Naruto – who was with the others at the ramen place.  
When he saw him, Naruto stood up and went away – Sasuke didn't even hail the others and followed him, running.  
He grabbed his shoulder and made him turn to face him – Naruto slapped him and stepped back.  
"Hey! Calm the fuck down!"  
"Better GET AWAY from me, fucker."  
Sasuke was nettled.  
He stepped to him, he grabbed his arm – Naruto freed it violently, and shouted:  
"AGAIN – GET AWAY FROM ME!"  
"Shut the fuck down, you stupid fucking looser – better you CALM DOWN or you _perfectly know _where this is going to e-"  
"Get the fuck off my life.  
Go away!  
You bastard – you motherfucker – you vicious _coward_ – liar – DON'T GET NEAR ME!"  
"Don't you give a shit about what I'm sayi-" roared Sasuke.  
"Doesn't matter if I give a shit, it's SHIT THAT YOU GAVE ME!"  
"Naruto, shut the fuck up and calm down.  
Calm down, okay?  
You won't make up a kerfuffle right here in front of everyone, yeah? Calm down.  
We have to talk – _don't go aw-"  
_He grabbed Naruto's shoulder again and pulled the shirt, saying:  
"Wait.  
Wait wait wait. Wait a moment.  
Don't…"  
"Leave me, scoundrel, and step the fuck away from me.  
This is the last time I tell you – AFTER WHAT YOU'VE DONE you've still got the NERVE to come here to me?  
Go to your motherfucking Orochimaru!  
DON'T HARASS ME, Sasuke.  
Anything you want you can easily ask HIM!  
LEAVE ME – LET ME GO!"  
Sasuke was still holding his shoulder.  
His face went colder – he got covertly angry.  
"Naruto.  
We got just to talk a while about this.  
Now if you let us find a bit of privacy-"  
Sasuke neither saw the punch – but he saw black for a minute.  
Naruto was trying to free his shoulders, when he regained sight – and push forcedly Naruto inside the ramen place, asking for – "the yard,  
please".  
He brought Naruto there without even giving explanations to the place's owner – he found the door of a cellar and pushed Naruto inside.  
In this time Naruto had practically covered him with fists and slaps – but Sasuke didn't care.  
He pushed Naruto against the wall and laid hands on him – Naruto shouted, growling – Sasuke kissed him.  
He simply grabbed his body – pawing his thighs, his hips, his waste, his neck, his back – this was only to say 'MINE. Here, it's ME. I hold you'.  
Naruto felt the sickness rising inside him – the urge to retch blocked his voice.  
Then Sasuke thought of marking his territory – his hand crawled under Naruto's shorts.  
Naruto lost suddenly control over himself.  
Or well, not _only _himself.  
The Kyuubi woke up and raised his head – he burst flaming out of Naruto, he broke out and jumped at Sasuke's throat.  
Sasuke screamed – the others came in following the yell and found him – wounded – on ground.  
Naruto was gone – the Kyuubi drove him home.  
When he arrived there, the Kyuubi left his body's control to him – and drew back in his place.  
Naruto realized what had happened – he felt it was right.  
He put the seal back on his place.  
Then he woke up and saw his face in the mirror: there _was _something different.  
His iris was different.  
It was red – and gold, in alternated streaks.  
It was – quite – beautiful.  
The pupil had a shining spot inside it, looking like – silver.  
"Hey, Kyuubi, look our brand new eyes! By the way, why did you do it?"  
"I feel safe, it seems, if you're saved – my Uzumaki.  
Only I could save you – and so I did.  
I can't feel safe if my Jinchuuriki is being raped. That's all"  
Naruto smiled.  
"Mh…yeah. Not that you wanted to protect me, huh?"  
The Kyuubi evaded the question.  
Naruto left him to his business.  
He looked in the mirror and said:  
"I never felt so lame inside.  
Anybody else got pride – I _got_ pride – and where is it gone, now?  
I lost it.  
Mother…Father.  
How many times have I wanted to die?  
Where are you now?  
I wanted to die before – I always felt so lost.  
I can't die now.  
Gaara – could still need me.  
I can't die now"

_You're a loaded gun – there's nowhere to run – No one can save me, the damage is done!_


	4. Wait And Bleed

Wait And Bleed

They brought Sasuke to the hospital and left Tsunade wordless, explaining what had Naruto done.  
It was certain it had been Naruto; but his strange reactions, the way he insulted Sasuke – the aggressive way in which he constantly repeated "Get the fuck off my life".  
Tsunade couldn't understand.  
Luckily the Kyuubi _hadn't_ hit the throat, but the shoulder – right beside Orochimaru's seal.  
The seal switched on as soon as Sasuke woke up – but he shut it down immediately, saying "Not your business – don't tell me what I have to do".  
Tsunade healed the wound, and Sasuke asked to be released that same evening.  
"Not to say, I have to explain this thing to Naruto"  
Tsunade leapt at the chance:  
"WHY is he behaving this way?"  
"Because of Orochimaru.  
I told him I have decided to go – there.  
This was his reaction – and I have to say, it made me change my mind.  
If he reacts so – this would be so hurtful for him.  
I can't do it…"  
"So, now you'll simply tell him this?" asked Tsunade, anxious.  
The way Sasuke was behaving in these days.  
She remembered someone else who behaved just the same – even around the same age.  
Then became a murderer, then a slaughterer, then a monster.  
She couldn't remember, however – that Jiraya ever reacted to his thoughts and ideas in the way Naruto did.  
Sasuke was the spitting image of Orochimaru.  
She had to face the fact that Orochimaru had already spoiled him.  
"As soon as I can, I'll touch base with him…" smiled Sasuke. Falsely.

Naruto went to sleep.  
He didn't think of locking the door – he simply couldn't understand such a deviltry – first of all on his best friend's side.  
And such a deviltry he mustn't conceive – since Sasuke's violence wasn't deviltry, nor bestiality.  
It was evil.  
Pure evil – though someone said 'Who covets Evil for its own bitter sake? None – nothing! 'Tis the leaven of all life – and lifelessness'.  
But what Evil attacks is Good.  
Evil is its parasite – it follows Good's moves, to fill with shadows the place it left empty.  
Yes – Evil lives in the shadow of Good.  
You could even say that Evil – must be ephemeral, temporary – like all the other things on earth.  
Evil must be temporary – so that, when another piece of Good comes to sit in that place – Evil leaves it to it.  
Nothing is endlessly good.  
Nothing is good forever.  
Things spoil, if you don't kill them.  
Naruto had _thought_ – that he should have killed him, after he did it.  
What doesn't end – and spins out – spoils, rots, decays, ebbs, festers.  
It's covered with illness – and it's contagious.  
Sasuke spoiled for getting hands on Naruto again.  
He caught him off base – attacking when he was sleeping.  
He quietly entered the room, he locked the door, he undressed; he got the wit of tying his hands – right when Naruto woke up.  
Sasuke smiled and cheered him.  
He even laughed, in loud voice.  
Naruto could only understand he couldn't move.  
Nor hands, nor – legs.  
Nor head.  
Naruto could only understand that he couldn't understand anything.  
Sasuke kissed him, looked at him, laughed, then kissed him again.  
"Take a look at the milk's expiring, next time.  
It could lit up some strange chemical reaction with the drug.  
For your liver's health, you know…"  
He bit his neck and went on.  
The only thing Naruto could do was thinking – and think he did.  
'_HOW THE HELL DID I GET HERE?'  
_But then, when Sasuke didn't 'kiss' him, he realized he could also talk – and the more he felt pain, the more he insulted him.  
With bathed breath – like he always was, since Sasuke said the first phrases of _that _quarrel – he witnessed his mayhem – with closed eyes.  
He said – he called him "rotten piece of shit" "batshit crazy" "a bunch of shit left of _Sasuke_"; this "despicable" wreck of his best friend, this "leech of a leech" "vulture" "hyena" and on with the bestiary.  
Sasuke answered kissing and biting him – and laughing, hissing.  
When was done – he did it again.  
The possessiveness you could see in his gestures, the way he treated him – if you think from the perspective of a thing, you see that its agent – we humans – is, really, huh, CREEPY.  
What the human is to a thing is what an Evil God is to the human.  
A god who is evil, alright? Almighty like God, but evil in will.  
Sasuke humped his spinal column, brought it straight back, pushed his head in the pillow and pulled it up – made him sit, lie, turn, crouch; the only thing Naruto could avoid was being put on all fours.  
He simply had to drop himself down – Naruto couldn't _move_.  
He exploited gravity, in this case – but all the rest was no go.  
Another thing Sasuke couldn't do was force him – to shut up in another way. It was enough for Naruto to show him teeth.  
Then it ended – Sasuke lied beside him, turning his head to look him, and tried to talk – humanly – with him.  
Naruto repeated 10 times – his only answer was: - "Go away or I start to scream".  
In the end Sasuke answered – slapping, kissing him, biting badly his throat and then biting his tongue.  
"You're an all ways blasphemy" slurred Naruto.  
He spat – on the one who spited him.  
Then, he suddenly began to shake – uncontrollably.  
The drug's effect was dousing.  
His muscles received all the impulses – the orders – that nerves collected for them in the previous two hours.  
In few minutes he would regain his mobility independence.  
Sasuke _understood _that he hadn't much time.  
He stood up, put back his clothes and bade him goodnight.  
Naruto answered with "a fuck off".

The day after, no one saw Naruto around.  
Sasuke didn't know – "He simply won't open me the door".  
Kakashi went there, knocked, tried to convince him to come out – Naruto didn't even answer – nothing but "Please, Kakashi, leave me alone" – until Kakashi said:  
"Sasuke is waiting for you – okay everything but you"  
"GO AWAY!"  
Kakashi did, mumbling:  
"Something about this ain't very right…"  
Naruto stayed two days in his house – waiting for _his mind_ to heal.  
He didn't give a fuck about the body.  
Or well, he had _decided_ to tell Kakashi.  
The mind – he was continuously seeing the mayhem's pictures – like in video.  
Like moving pictures in his head, continuously playing – inside his mind, after having done it outside on his body.  
'_Is it a dream or a memory?'_  
He didn't know what his mind was doing – and this _wasn't_ alright.  
Naruto, the morning after Sasuke's 'second coming', tided and cleaned his house.  
He brought the pillow, linen and sheets out of his home – and burned them in a yard.  
He didn't say a word, he didn't shed a tear – his face looked like it was made of stone.  
Inside – as you know – a stellar explosion was taking place.  
The first question which roamed, roaring and drifting this explosion's sphere – was:  
'_WHY DON'T I KILL HIM?'  
_Naruto, that night, escaped again on that peak we saw before and bawled like a child – throwing Rasengans around the place. He had to be consoled, in the end, by – the Kyuubi.  
Naruto was helpless.  
Sasuke's memory desolated his mind.  
He was slowly going out of spirits.  
As much as he desponded, he became devoid of will and strength to react; he only wanted to become – a statue – a plant – something that _could not_ be raped.  
Something that would be left alone, in peace.  
Then he came back – the day after Iruka came to his house and asked him to have a talk at the ramen place.  
"No."  
"Ok I bring Ramen here"  
"…As you want."  
Iruka saw some wounds – he asked him about them.  
"Tomorrow" was the answer.  
"Tomorrow I'll tell.  
Just leave me another day.  
Just be careful about Sasuke" breath-taking "that he doesn't leave…"  
"He said he only wanted to tell he isn't going to Orochimaru; that he will always be here with you…"  
"HUH, HE SAID?  
Tell him I'll go to the Sand Country as soon as I can, and the next years I'LL LIVE THERE and train with MY FRIEND GAARA.  
I don't want him to go away because he mustn't flee.  
I'll explain you tomorrow, Iruka…"  
And Iruka told Sasuke.

Who understood it literally – and showed up again.  
But we know, not everyone in the village gave bona-fide to the Uchiha clan.  
Someone knew enough about their blood – and Sasuke's behavior had leaped out at Kakashi.  
He asked one of his friends – an Anbu – of keeping an eye over him, following him and looking especially for anything regarding Naruto.  
This man – call him Tenzou – did; but he did – not alone. He brought other policemen with him.  
Orochimaru was involved –  
Uchiha, they already saw enough – and the Jinchuuriki as seasoning – ALRIGHT…  
Better to overrate than underrate it…  
Risky, it was risky – dangerous, it could be dangerous – deadly, it could be even deadly – better to be prepared.  
LUCKILY he came prepared.  
Sasuke had the time – and his methods – to spend some hours there, without making a noise – no strange things, no notice.  
His methods were – drugging Naruto again, but he moved to heroine.  
Heroine was better – it could even help some – surrender – some acceptance.  
Naruto was unconscious for the first two hours.  
Then he regained senses – as Sasuke had just gained Nirvana thrice.  
He tried to parlay again.  
"There must be a compromise we can both accept.  
There must be a way – in some way – c'mon…"  
Naruto answered repeating "NO".  
Sasuke thought of buying him – he grabbed his hands and kissed him slowly – normally – kind of a quarter of hour long.  
Naruto's answer was spitting on his face again.  
Sasuke slipped downwards and spread his legs – down, down – _too_ down – OH.  
Naruto hit him on the shoulders, tried even to bite his hands – to make him _stop_.  
This was really – using his body – out of his will!  
In spite of himself, Naruto's body followed its mechanisms – but he managed to knee him right on the forehead – Sasuke swore and, in his rage, forgetting that Naruto wasn't doped anymore – he mugged him again.  
Tenzou felt the Kyuubi's aura – the Kyuubi's chakra – that light from Naruto's windows SHIIIT…  
He ran with the others – he managed to calm Naruto down (he was the only one able to do it in the entire village, that's why Kakashi asked HIM).  
The other Anbus ran after Sasuke, who ran away – he knew Orochimaru's servants were waiting just for him to go with them.  
And he went.  
When the Kyuubi calmed down, Tenzou SAW – and understood.  
He put a blanket on him, called the others and told them to "bring him to the hosp- to TSUNADE" – he had "to see Kakashi, now, first of all".  
This had gone far worse than Orochimaru's matter.  
He noticed the Jinchuuriki's eyes – red and gold – his hair, standing straight up.  
He had – to tell Kakashi about it.

_Now your pictures that you left behind are just memories of a different life. Some that made us laugh, some that made us cry – one that made you have to say goodbye  
Shot through the heart, and you're to blame – You give love a bad name! I play my part and you play your game_


	5. Surfacing

Surfacing 

Naruto told Kakashi.  
He couldn't simply picture it – one of his choice spirits spoiled – in this way.  
That his dear child, Naruto, could actually bring out the devil in Sasuke – that he had been at bay – without him, Kakashi, neither _noticing_ it!  
Couldn't he foresee it?  
The leech he was as a friend – 'twas normal that the net income of his acquaintance was such a lech's net.  
Naruto told him only about the keyframes – he avoided describing in depth despair and sickness, violence and degradation.  
Sasuke spoiled him – and, perhaps, he had always considered him as his own spoil of war/life.  
Kakashi, of course, ended up telling Naruto that he "should have left Sasuke to his own devices" long time before.  
Naruto answered that, however, he "should have killed him right off the bat".  
Kakashi agreed. He granted Naruto that the bastard would be killed – this was sure.  
But they had to impeach Sasuke – officially.  
They could ask the police to keep the inquiry – covert – to be discreet.  
Naruto didn't want to wash his linen in public – for the moment.  
From the start he had understood that he had to look for help – and to tell the others about the dirt Sasuke had done on him.  
At least it was necessary to _warn_ them – first of all he had to tell Sakura!  
But it wasn't so easy to tell your friends and peers – "Yes, you know, I've been raped".  
Naruto decided, agreeing with Kakashi, to wait.  
Sasuke was far away – and Kakashi was sure about it: Orochimaru would keep him at bay.  
Orochimaru didn't want him to do these things – his body should be his future reincarnation.  
Kakashi assured Naruto:  
"Orochimaru never liked _this_ type of violence.  
You know, he was assigned to punishment and interrogation tasks – regarding rapists.  
You can't even picture _what_ he did them…once or twice he literally skinned them alive.  
Sasuke is only lucky to be so precious to him – instead, Orochimaru would have probably killed him.  
He often does, even when he doesn't know the victim nor the – beast.  
It's his version of justice.  
To justify your actions – previous actions – publicly, I'm sorry we'll have to spin a yarn.  
We could say – Sasuke tried to kill you because he wanted to take the Kyuubi.  
He discovered about it, after that Gaara battle, and he thought he could need it against his brother. Alright?"  
"Alright. I know this is playing dirty, Kakashi, but – couldn't we ask for Itachi's help?  
Doesn't he want to kill Sasuke?"  
"Wait. Better you leave their business to them. Itachi and Sasuke have such a strange relationship.  
No, Itachi never wanted to kill Sasuke – but I don't know why".  
"Maybe it's just because they're brothers…"  
"On the spindle side. And Itachi knows".  
"WHAT?"  
"I don't know a thing more. But I can tell you – I'm starting to prefer Itachi to him.  
At least Itachi kills – doesn't torture. Or bask in someone else's dire straits"  
"I do, too.  
I do prefer that machine-like face treating me as cannon fodder because he's been ordered to take the Kyuubi – to that beasty ugly face right in front of me, panting for my own being alive".  
Tenzou directed the inquiry.  
He told Kakashi: "Sasuke nipped off before he got nicked for tattering Naruto – but nippers wait him".  
Kakashi replied:  
"I'll suggest that Naruto goes away for a while.  
Sasuke will think that he's still in Konoha – if he attacks to get him, we can catch him.  
Moreover, Naruto has to recover – he's getting depressed".  
This, he told him too:  
"You have to learn by your trauma.  
You have to get YOUR hands back on your pride and pour back what is left over of it – before someone else pares you away – to become a complete – thing.  
You mustn't accept what's happened, Naruto, you must refuse it. Refuse it completely".  
Jiraya was informed by Kakashi, and suggested that _he_ escorted Naruto – to make a journey, to train about chakra and the Kyuubi, to see a bit of world.  
Naruto accepted, happy.  
No, Jiraya didn't know. He thought, even he, of the Kyuubi thing.  
Naruto didn't want to tell him – Jiraya could do shit and hazard a lot, if he got angry (what was sure) and went against Sasuke (what was certain) by Orochimaru (what was really dangerous).  
Right before they left, Naruto underwent a straight interview from some of his friends – they wanted to know about Sasuke.  
"I'm sorry, but now he's a Nukenin. No, I won't bring him back – I don't want to see that animal again.  
You understood what he tried to do to me?"  
Naruto was spiky about Sasuke.  
Moreover, all this attention was doing him in – he couldn't trust cold minds, now.  
Shikamaru and Chouji were okay – but Neji, his blank freezing eyes.  
Neji said:  
"You're leaving him thus, at first chance? I thought you weren't that spineless, Naruto".  
Right to the point.  
"Don't give a shit, Neji. Don't even judge me. I don't care anymore."  
"Things you stood for – now"  
"Fuck everything that I stood for.  
Now it's another time – it's another me. He got all my love – he kept living, and tried to drown me into his own hate.  
If you still care for him, you have only to hope that you won't be there when I get _my_ hands on him – ain't a fucking thing you can do then"  
Shikamaru laughed.  
"Of course I want to be there. I will help you. No matter how hard he tries, Naruto.  
He's already running out of ways to – run.  
I can predict it, it's logic – he's already begun to lose chances and ways.  
It's no go, for him. He's a no go – that's why.  
He's useful only for Orochimaru – I bet even his brother will hate him when he knows – and moreover, they would be rivals…"  
Naruto turned pale.  
"I mean, if he wants the Kyuubi…However, it is quite clear – it looks like he stabbed you in the back".  
"And up to the hilt."  
Naruto replied staring at Neji and going away.  
Neji couldn't use the Byakugan – everyone was watching them.  
And he couldn't use the same weapons Shikamaru used – Neji moved on general constraints regarding the human mind – basic pop psychology.  
Shikamaru, instead, moved always on an ad hoc basis – each case discretely.  
It was the surest way of understanding – there was no mistaking.  
Naruto's discrete case was simple: Sasuke discomfited Naruto and deceived him.  
Now Naruto was out of spirit; he had to cleanse the slate – blank – to disannul the killed hopes and burned fairytales of childhood.  
A way like another – to wake up to life.  
Shikamaru thought of exploiting this chance – UNDERSTANDING, he too, from Naruto's experience.  
Why be content of your experience alone – when you can process also the other's ones?  
The mind is always hungry – the river always needs water.

During their journey, Sasuke's memory grew – dim – in Naruto's mind.  
It became an enormous gray mass – a Great Nothing – a vacancy that continued absorbing space – like a grey black hole.  
It took him months to figure out that this mass actually _was_ FORGETTING.  
He remembered – every time he forgot something, all over his life, it had always –smelled – and tasted – like this.  
That grey – that nothing.  
It wasn't even the taste of dust – this was the taste of nothing.  
Have you ever put out of the tongue to taste fog?  
The same taste. None.  
He went on thinking of this – he never heard someone saying "The taste of an idea" "The smell of a thought".  
Didn't they feel they were tasting and smelling thoughts?  
He thought of this – the most intelligent human beings can recognize color and shape figurer of thoughts.  
Naruto was quite an animal – and the Kyuubi helped him in understanding this.  
This was the door to him – to comprehending HIM, the Kyuubi.  
He wanted Naruto to know him.  
He wanted to be known – and he didn't know why.  
Naruto had to come nearer – to learn his code of communication – to comprehend it.  
The Kyuubi knew this, and he knew it was true.  
He didn't bother on the causes – nor consequences: he knew they will be good.  
Truth never has dire consequences. Lies do.  
Naruto thought: in the human minds, thoughts have shape, color, smell, taste, noise, dimension and substance.  
And they can be moved to certain places – where they fit and plug in.  
If you take a look at it – what these places are in it's - a map.  
A map of what?  
Where are things?  
In the world.  
A map of the world.  
World mapping, yes – and you understand a thing, you put it in your mind – at its place.  
Okay, and – then you have – oh, shit – YOU HAVE – to recognize, to identify, to decode – the features of a thought.  
It's like – the red is there – but if you don't see it?  
Because, it's like – the food is there, but if you don't eat it?  
Okay, so – all humans _can_ recognize – _apply_ – smell and taste on thoughts – why don't they do it?  
Moreover: the sound is exclusively related to NOW.  
But the other features are – fixed. Constant, proper of a thing.  
The second time you see it, it's difficult that a thing will have the same noise of the first time.  
You better use the other features to recognize it. And move the noise to the room 'Things Useful To Understand What Happens Now'. Functional.  
But then – humans only choose colour and shape.  
They use it, and they always mistake one thing for another, a name for another, a place for another, a way for another.  
Nope – what's wrong?  
Think of stability, firmness, concreteness of those features.  
Shape – you know whether it will change.  
The light gives colour and shade – the light – always changes.  
Mutability is reliable to stability?  
Of course NO!  
So it's firm? No!  
Is it reliable? No!  
It changed!  
How can you recognize it?  
WAIT…THIS is the error Sasuke did!  
The darkness – the black – the black the fuck – what is black now will be enlightened tomorrow - didn't he always tell me that I'm stupid?  
You see: the collaboration between the demon mind and Naruto's one yielded goodness and comprehension – respectively.  
Get fire – get burned. Get raw food – get aches.  
Put the two things together.  
Then?  
"And, oh, Kyuubi.  
These – reflections – fulfilled my mind – this gray shape – of colours.  
Taking shape, they are taking shape – the void is disappearing – Hahaha! If Shikamaru heard me!  
Okay, say that – the fog is evaporating…what's wrong? Oh – the fog IS evaporated water.  
Huh – the fog is – THE SMOKE IS BLOWN AWAY!  
I made it!  
Jesus, how breathtaking it is – to think!"  
The Kyuubi laughed.  
"However, Kyu" brand new surname "Why do we have to use always metaphors?"  
"It's the sweet external layer of the pill, Naruto.  
You simplify the first steps – you put the entrance in evidence.  
Then, it's all easier – it's what you do when you wet the sewing thread's end, to slip it in the needle. You understand?  
The metaphor – is the edge of the blade. It's thinner – it has to plug in things.  
You understand?"  
"Totally – fucking – YES! You're a God, Kyu!"  
"No…idiot, I'm a demon…"  
"You suck at jokes, let me tell you".

Naruto's stream of consciousness was getting the more discursive, as time passed.  
Jiraya noticed it – Naruto had taken a dim view of life itself.  
It's good to be disabused about life and happiness – but just to understand that they are not to be taken for granted.  
That they don't exist by themselves – you have to build them, work on them, elaborate them, cherish them.  
What the human mind has to do: constantly, wherever it can.  
The human mind isn't organic, and it doesn't consume energy. It's unjustifiable for it to _stop_.  
Naruto's eyes were ever so often dim with tears.  
He had been imbibed with disconcert – and he didn't even think of drying in the sun of hope.  
When he told him about what he thought – his intention was to ask him: 'WHAT'S UP?' Naruto was led astray by his thoughts.  
He mumbled – "Take a dim view of…" then shouted "BUT OF COURSE!"  
He looked Jiraya, smiling in complete abandon, and said, hastily and emphatically, with his eyes sparkling:  
"Listen, yeah, listen!  
_You see something – as it was bad – WRONG – harmful – PAINFUL – you fear something – _YOU DIDN'T KNOW BY HAND_ – BECAUSE you don't see it clearly! _THAT'S WHY! That's where humans saw WRONG! They didn't – oh my God – they didn't see it!" he was laughing. "Jesus Christ it was so simple!"  
Jiraya smiled.  
"If Sasuke saw you know…"  
"He's gonna get this, 'cause he's never gonna get ME.  
He is the very disease the Kyuubi pretended to be! I know now – Kurama wanted to make me think that he is hateful.  
He isn't…and he's always been the push that makes me move!"

Their journey took three years.  
When they came back, the first thing Sakura wanted to do was to ask Naruto:  
"Have you forgiven Sasuke?"  
"Of course no. And you step back from that animal, Sakura.  
STEP BACK OR I'LL FORCE YOU TO".  
Neji, this time, was watching in silence.  
He was sitting on his house' porch – and looked straight into Naruto's mind.  
Naruto was at the dip of conscience, in those times.  
He was slowly recovering – but it wasn't so easy, you know. He couldn't trust anyone else.  
Neji felt it, but he didn't give a fuck.  
He clearly felt the sexual tension in Naruto, at the word "Sasuke"; he understood – he only saw shame an embarrassment.  
The first things the Kyuubi had wanted Naruto to cope with were properly the rage and the sickness.  
What was left over, then, were shame and embarrassment.  
And Neji thought that Naruto did – willingly – accept Sasuke's trials.  
He got angry.  
He suddenly realized of being jealous - in a strange way.  
He didn't give a fuck about Naruto's life, love, or property; he didn't give a fuck about someone else's getting him.  
He was only envious - the thing was there, and he didn't get it!  
He could get it too!  
He decided to wait – Naruto was really touchy on Sasuke's thing.  
He probably felt that Sasuke deceived him – Neji was thinking of exploiting this.  
Tell Naruto that I'm better than him.  
But if Sasuke was still alive – why put up such a _dirty _war with him, instead of – _dimidiate_ the spoil?  
Okay, Sasuke got first dibs on Naruto; but Neji could smoke his – dib.  
The only problem was – Sasuke probably wouldn't agree.  
Then Neji felt another pair of things, two days later.  
Interesting things.  
What he felt during the conversation between Sakura and Naruto – "Why don't you even try? Take him back, then we'll see" "I neither  
want to know that he exists".  
Huh. So Sasuke _raped_ him.  
This is the way – like animals. The female never wants to fuck.  
If even Sasuke did it…  
Let's give a bash about Naruto.  
Moreover, Sasuke probably didn't desist from getting hands on him again.  
Apparently this was just what he wanted to do – THAT'S WHY he stopped his sneak attacks in Konoha when he heard the words "GONE  
AWAY".  
He could play the deuce.

_Your very first kiss was your first kiss goodbye!_

_This ain't a song for the broken-hearted – No silent prayer for the faith-departed – I just want to live when I'm alive – It's MY life!  
I did it my way – Tomorrow's getting harder – Make no mistake, Luck ain't even Lucky!  
Got to make your own breaks – Better stand tall when they're calling you out! Don't bend, don't break, baby, don't BACK DOWN!_


	6. Spit It Out

Spit it out:

'_The fuck is going on?'  
_Thought Shikamaru that evening.  
Naruto was holding Sakura back from telling him anything about "Sasuke", and okay, but why should she "avoid him"?  
Naruto repeated it almost in loop, and Sakura continued to ask him why.  
"He's unreliable."  
"C'mon, he was only a kid! Naruto, we can't leave him there! He's going to die!"  
"I'D KILL HIM MYSELF IF I – COULD"  
"You don't know what you're saying. Anyway, you have to help me! He will never come back only for me!  
All of this time he's looked for you"  
"Of course he looks for me! Don't you understand? He wants to – USE ME! What a _reliable best friend_ – HUH!  
If you only knew – you knew – knew…what he said about you!"  
"I can picture it.  
However, I told you we should have met Kakashi here – but apparently he isn't around the place, anymore.  
Where's Jiraya gone?"  
"HUH?  
Where are Jiraya AND Kakashi gone?  
Where is Tsunade?"  
"What's up, Naruto?"  
"He's telling him…SHIKAMARU, C'MON" he said springing up and pushing him "HELP ME!  
He's telling him – cause Tsunade, she can block him – if he goes mad"  
"Goes mad who?" asked Shikamaru running.  
"Jiraya!  
If Kakashi tells him – RUN!"  
Naruto jumped against the Hokage's office door and blew it open.  
Kakashi stopped in the middle of a sentence "…not true. Truth is…"  
He looked at Naruto, baffled, the mouth open.  
Naruto gasped:  
"I…thought…it was better…if, me too – I'm here – Hi, Jiraya…Shikamaru – close the door…"  
Shikamaru looked him, puzzled, and answered:  
"It's impossible, you blasted it…but there's no one out there…don't worry."  
Naruto looked Kakashi, who turned to look Jiraya.  
"Do you want to tell him, yourself?"  
Naruto mumbled.  
"I can't" he said, in the end.  
"I don't…I – I don't want to listen" he said, and turned to the wall.  
Jiraya didn't understand what was going on – but he understood that the thing was serious.  
He asked Kakashi:  
"You were saying this had nothing to do with the Kyuubi? You're saying Sasuke doesn't want – but what the fuck's happened?"  
"It wasn't the Kyuubi. … It was the Jinchuuriki…" HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?  
Naruto intervened:  
"I was…his matter. He said…he went mad…since – Gaara…"  
"Gaara, you, Sasuke…what's up with Gaara now?  
Won't you simply tell me what's happened?"  
Naruto looked Shikamaru, and breath died in his throat.  
Shikamaru walked past Naruto and went before Kakashi – looking him.  
Kakashi turned suddenly angry.  
All of his anger – he fucking finally could let it out.  
They would comprehend him.  
He let them SEE his anger – the nerve he had, his nerves stirring in his skin – you could see them ticking.  
"It has been another kind of violence.  
Actually he didn't attempt to KILL him.  
Nor did he only attempt to – do - what he's done. And more than once.  
Completely conscious and willing, Jiraya.  
That monster – this was our – Sasuke"  
"IT WAS OROCHIMARU, Kakashi, and you well know – okay his brother but Sasuke is another thing"  
"NO, ITACHI WOULD NEVER – oh" broke down Naruto, and shut up.  
"NO, Itachi would never" repeated Kakashi "and Orochimaru neither. Never will and never did.  
Jiraya, c'mon, I can't – I can't just tell you! It's-"  
"Wait a sec, Naruto.  
Wait a second. You're telling me…?" Shikamaru turned and asked him.  
Naruto's face was like a shredded piece of paper.  
He nodded.  
"Then…SAKURA…she must know! Kakashi-"  
"What the fuck's happened then? WOULD YOU BE CLEARER?" burst out Jiraya.  
Kakashi stood up, grabbed Naruto's hand and moved him to sit down.  
"Now I have to inform you about a pair of things.  
When Sasuke came here, we all said we didn't know where you were.  
Of course he kidnapped someone and tortured them – he's developed the Mangenkyou, but I don't know how.  
He tried to extort them information.  
But as you know, and as we agreed, no one of us knew about your destination.  
Every time he came here he killed people, Naruto.  
Every time we tried to catch him – but Orochimaru came first, and brought him back 'home'.  
In the end I had to tell him – that you weren't here. He stopped coming.  
Luckily, since we counted some 50 deaths in these attacks of his and-"  
"WHERE'S IRUKA?"

Kakashi looked him straight in the eyes. Then said:  
"The list is longer.  
Far longer, Naruto. We have to kill him.  
The inquiry is over. The verdict is guilty – death penalty.  
Apart from what you know - there are high treason, desertion and assassination attempt.  
This one – the police lied about it – but you know, it's for a right sake"  
Jiraya intervened, quite annoyed and nervous:  
"I'm sorry, Kakashi, but these aren't enough for death penalty.  
He may get 10 years for it all – but then.  
You know, the only two crimes punishable with death penalty, in Konoha, are murder – actual murder – and"  
"Clever.  
Well played, you got the point" said Shikamaru, ironic and sad.  
Jiraya reflected and the Hokage's office exploded.

When he calmed eventually down, Naruto tried to talk to him – to make him sure that he had more than recovered, everything was alright now.  
The only thing they had to fix was Sasuke's death.  
Of course he had to die – and Naruto, unlike Tsunade and Kakashi, wished for anything else than an official trial IN Konoha.  
But Jiraya agreed with him: Sasuke had to be killed, and he wanted to do it.  
Naruto agreed – he didn't want to see that animal again, neither if it was - to kill him.  
"It really gets my goat that he survived until now.  
I wished Orochimaru left hold of him – that he let us kill Sasuke. How can he like having a body like that?  
I never thought he had morals or ethic – but this really means being – HUH – uhuhu – _thick-skinned…_"  
"I preferred your stupid version, Naruto.  
Now we have a pair of other things to solve.  
I came here to tell you an important thing – we must _run_ now.  
I wouldn't have calmed down so quickly, wasn't it so.  
The Kazekage – yeah, you know, Gaara – has been kidnapped. It's the Akatsuki.  
There is a worse problem to solve, in the interest of all – the involved.  
Sasuke knew.  
He broke out again – it's incredibly simple for him to sneak out of Orochimaru's will.  
He's gone there.  
He knows you will go – he waits for you. Naruto, please, believe me.  
Let this to us.  
This is the right chance to take Sasuke – the Akatsuki is at war with Orochimaru, he's alone against the all of them – he probably won't come.  
Stay here and stay safe.  
Let Kakashi and I think about it. We will bring you with us, Shikamaru – and Neji and someone else.  
Call Guy, Kakashi…Naruto, _no_. You stay at home".  
"NO.  
I want to talk with Itachi.  
If Sasuke is there – I stay out of it – but if I can catch Itachi – I HAVE TO!  
I know this is a personal thing – my business alone. But for Gaara – you won't need the Kyuubi?  
C'mon! I HAVE to protect him!"  
"It's alright, Jiraya" intervened Kakashi. "Let him in.  
We'll leave him out – AND YOU WILL DO IT" he said to Naruto "if Sasuke shows up.  
In fact, I want to talk with Itachi too.  
I bet he doesn't know – and I bet he should."  
Tsunade sighed, embraced them all in a glance and said:  
"These are my orders.  
The team is – Lee, Neji, Naruto, Shikamaru – Jiraya, Kakashi, Guy.  
You know you're the best resources Konoha has. Don't die. No other words."  
"Sir, yes, sir" laughed Jiraya.  
He turned and walk in the hall – finding Sakura there.  
Her face was – huh – _black_.  
She was incredibly, viciously ANGRY.  
Our Predator is less creepy than she was then.  
Naruto walked out, himself – looked her, went on and embraced her.  
As soon as Sakura sobbed Tsunade ran out the room and held the two of them in her arms, crying – women, you know.  
Kakashi sighed. Jiraya looked at him and said:  
"I will literally skin him alive.  
I want to do it – I want to tear him asunder, atom to atom. Leave this to me – you will have the final blow"  
"The only mercy he deserves".  
They walked away, to call the others and prepare for the mission.  
They first went to the Kazekage's village, to be informed about it.  
Then they left to find the Akatsuki's hideout.  
It took some two hours – the place's entrance had been sealed, they had to find the 'keys' hidden around the place to enter it.  
Luckily they had Neji – who Byakuganed the forest to look for the keys – and for Sasuke's mind – and in Naruto's thoughts.  
Naruto was in panic. Frightened by the mere chance of seeing Sasuke – or well, being seen by him.  
Neji decided to exploit the chance – Sasuke wasn't – OH YES HE WAS.  
There he was, half a mile eastward.

He told the Jonins:  
"He's quite near – westward, two miles. Sasuke, I mean.  
Now, I found the seals – better we spread around to take them altogether.  
Naruto, better you come with me.  
I'm the only one who can – why not?" he asked Kakashi, who was shaking his head.  
"No, he comes with me.  
Neji, look for Itachi, tell me if he's here around."  
"I'm sorry I can't recognize him, Kakashi".  
This was no lie. Neji didn't know Itachi – he couldn't identify him.  
"But I can recognize Sasuke. Isn't it better if-"  
"SASUKE alone is no matter to us.  
Isn't it, Naruto? Orochimaru wants the Kyuubi, Sasuke has never been able to take the demon, alone.  
And Orochimaru isn't here.  
Secondly, I'll PROTECT Naruto. And kill Sasuke if I have the chance. What anyone of you must do"  
"Of course" said Neji.  
"You go with Jiraya" replied Kakashi. "Shikamaru and Lee with Guy"  
Neji was pissed off, but he had to do it – and act normally.  
They moved – Kakashi made Jiraya and Neji leave first, then the other three.  
The last ones to move were he and Naruto – while they went, Kakashi asked him:  
"Didn't you notice? He worried about _Sasuke_ seeing you. How come we didn't think of it?  
Neji perhaps has Byakugant you. It's strange…"  
"He didn't ask me a thing.  
We're moving in the opposite direction, right? Sasuke is in the other way?"  
"Of course, we're moving eastwards.  
And – can this be – JESUS! He… FUCK OFF! Step back and hide, leave, GO, STEP BACK AND HIDE!"  
_There was _Sasuke.  
Naruto saw him and ran away.  
He left Kakashi there – he simply stopped thinking, he wasn't able to do it.  
The others found the seals – they didn't see Kakashi and Naruto, so Neji looked for them.  
And the surprise of seeing Kakashi and Sasuke fighting was so big that he burst out in loud voice:  
"SASUKE! Shit!"  
So he had to tell Jiraya:  
"They're fighting. Kakashi's there – Naruto – NO. How come – SHIT! I don't SEE him!"  
Jiraya was already running – pulling him.  
They arrived the same moment Sasuke escaped.  
Kakashi tried to follow him – but when Sasuke went out of Akatsuki's possible reach, Orochimaru came to take him back.  
Sasuke was alone, since Kakashi – who was wounded – couldn't run after him, and Jiraya went to look for Naruto.  
Neji had disappeared.  
They thought he, at least, was following Sasuke – _as he was_.  
He managed to get enough near to talk with him, and said only this – before Orochimaru appeared and then disappeared with Sasuke:  
"The deuce you did, huh?"  
Sasuke understood.

Jiraya didn't find Naruto, nor Neji.  
He came back to Kakashi and healed him – while Neji came back, himself.  
"You – where's Naruto? …  
KAKASHI! Sasuke's chakra – but – bigger!  
IS THIS ITACHI?"  
"Do you feel the Mangenkyou Sharingan?"  
"No, I feel Naruto's thoughts.  
Sasuke, but bigger – fear for the Kyuubi.  
Yes, it's Itachi".  
Kakashi leapt on his feet: "THEY'RE TALKING?"  
"They're fighting".

Kakashi hadn't thought of this.  
IF Itachi didn't listen to Naruto – if he discarded his request – ARGH.  
He was trying to KIDNAP him the same!  
"You and Neji, go with the others.  
Take the Kazekage back home.  
I follow Itachi.  
Where's him?"  
Neji reflected, and Kakashi shouted:  
"TRULY THIS TIME, HYUUGA!  
Where's him?"  
Jiraya looked Kakashi baffled.  
"A mile, that direction"  
Neji answered, turned and walked away – eluding the shame.  
Kakashi busted him – HE COULD COMPREHEND.  
And Sasuke was involved – so _Kakashi knew…  
_

Naruto and Itachi were fighting silently.  
Itachi had the creepy habit to enter Naruto's mind and speak to him there – to him and to the Kyuubi.  
Really – they were fighting _inside _Naruto's mind – Itachi struggled to reach the Kyuubi's gate and tear away the seal – Naruto struggled to block him.  
You know, fighting – probably you will get in physical contact with the opponent.  
And Itachi was _so_ similar to Sasuke – that red and black eyes, that stone-like bastard expression – even his voice, his hair.  
Naruto was starting to gasp again – like he did with Sasuke.  
Itachi wasn't so stupid to miss noticing it.  
He left hold - in the mind, always – of Naruto, stepped back and looked him.  
Yeah, he _looked him_ – in his mind and OUT OF IT.  
Naruto fell in the Tsukyiomi – Itachi made him see, in a constant loop, what the Kyuubi had done 16 years ago.  
Naruto crumbled – but the Kyuubi - _who was the KYUUBI_ – walked through the Tsukyiomi, reached Naruto's conscience and fought Itachi's genjutsu.  
He eventually stopped it – it had worked for a total of five minutes – and Naruto was gone to the dogs.  
He screamed and ran at Itachi – attacking him.  
Itachi dodged him and replied with Amaterasu – actually burning _the Kyuubi's chakra_ which flamed on Naruto's skin.  
Naruto stopped and said:  
"Won't you fucking listen to me? I don't want to fight!"  
"I neither. I'll take you.  
All I wanna do is drag you down, Kyuubi – all you wanna do, so, is stamp me out.  
I'm not motherfucking idiot, noob.  
Don't lie to ME"  
He attacked him again saying this.  
Naruto dodged the blow – and went on talking:  
"Since, okay, you never give a damn – but this involves Sasuke!  
Let me talk!"  
"Tables turned, Jinchuuriki.  
Gotcha."  
Itachi appeared beside him, grabbed his head and poured a shitload of Tsukyiomi in his mind – the Kyuubi was quelled – he vented, bringing Naruto to conscience again, only when they were already far away.  
Away from Kakashi, from Jiraya, from Konoha, from Gaara – in a place Naruto didn't know.  
Or well, he DID know.  
He had heard about it. They were right over an enormous waterfall - on the edge of a river.  
Two giants towered over them.  
Two statues – watching each other hatefully.  
Naruto woke up and found himself tied hands and feet.  
Itachi was standing before him, looking at the water.  
He talked without watching him:  
"You had strange reactions during your sleep.  
Don't hide things related to Sasuke - to me.  
Spit it out, Jinchuuriki.  
What's up with my brother's name and you stopping my hands if I want to see the seal?  
DID HE REALLY TRY TO TAKE THE DEMON?  
I never believed it!"  
He laughed. Naruto shook.


	7. Tattered And Torn

Tattered and Torn:

Something ached in Naruto's mind.  
As for him, Itachi's laugh was related to the Tsukyiomi – and in Naruto's mind its remains – some black bad things – were still slithering.  
Itachi turned and looked him, and Naruto reacted – hiding his eyes.  
The elder Uchiha had etched in his mind the emblem of his Mangenkyou.  
Itachi laughed again.  
"Don't worry, I must avoid it.  
I stopped here to wake you up. But you can't walk the same. I must carry you.  
Hey, Jinchuuriki" he smiled blinking – it seemed he winked at Naruto.  
"I can't use the Tsukyiomi again, my eyes hurt.  
Talk while we go"  
He grabbed Naruto and put him on his shoulders – like a papoose.  
Then he turned his head to look at him – his sunken, detached eyes.  
Naruto suddenly thought that he _didn't_ look like Sasuke – at all.  
The shape of his chin – the shape of his eyes – even his nose – no.  
He hadn't Sasuke's slanting eyes, cutting chin, straight nose.  
Itachi's face was quite round – regular, Asiatic.  
His eyes were bigger than Sasuke's – and even the colour, they _weren't_ properly black.  
It was a blackened brown – like his hair.  
Even his complexion – Sasuke was much more _white_.  
Though, at first glance, _he looked_ like Sasuke.  
That's what brotherhood is, thought Naruto.  
He then realized that Itachi was still gazing him, and started, gulping and asking:  
"What's up, then?"  
"No…what's up with _you_, Jinchuuriki.  
You mean 'what do we do now'?  
I bring in a better place where I can somewhat heal you.  
You don't even feel it – but you ain't perfect control over the demon.  
I affected the seal with Amaterasu. Not my intention, I swear.  
He could break out now – I must heal some wounds.  
About your mind – I can't do it. You must.  
YOUR ANSWER?"  
Naruto was baffled.  
_No, he hadn't felt it._ He looked at his belly and - the seal was out and enlightened.  
He touched it and felt – it burned.  
He grabbed Itachi's face and turned it to watch him, anxiously.  
"You say you can mend it, alright?  
You say there's no danger?"  
"NO, there isn't, Jinchuuriki. Huh…what a child you are.  
Your answer?".

"Better we start from the beginning.  
Why were you alone in the forest, running like an idiot? You neither saw me.  
You were upset, Jinchuuriki.  
Around that place – you were there to take us Shukaku.  
I left the others when I saw you had left your peer and ran – it was a good chance, and a good choice.  
Now, Jinchuuriki. I know that Orochimaru is looking for you – too.  
I know he wouldn't come there, he's intelligent enough. Sasuke isn't.  
Was my brother there?"  
"Yes."  
"…That's why you were running?"  
"…Yes."  
Itachi glanced him and saw – a depressed face and dull eyes.  
You can't really tell after a sidelong glance.  
But Itachi was pretty sure, his practised eye told him – here, the Kyuubi wasn't involved.  
"What's got my brother to do with it?"  
"_Your brother did it all, Itachi. He could let me be - in peace_. No, no Kyuubi.  
Just shut up. This has nothing to do with you."  
"No Kyuubi? It means he isn't doing what I do?  
You know I'm going to kill you.  
And you trust me, since I don't want to do what he did?  
WHAT THE FUCK DID HE DO?  
It _is_ my business, Jinchuuriki. He's my brother"  
"You won't believe me".  
Itachi stopped walking, turned his head and stared right into those blank eyes.  
"Die, you will die" Naruto goggled.  
It was so difficult to keep it in mind.  
"I can blow your mind up through Tsukyiomi. And I can torture you in any other way – while you're in it.  
Tell me – willingly".  
Naruto was wordless, pop-eyed – he looked him and then laughed lightly.  
"Die, I'll die. Do whatever the fuck you want.  
Anyway – you're not worse than Sasuke. But please, no. _Maybe later_ – before you kill me. Before I die.  
Not now, Itachi".  
Itachi smiled, surprised. He ticked his headband on Naruto's one, turned back and went on walking.  
Naruto laughed.

Itachi walked for hours, then stopped, put him down, left his sword and Akatsuki uniform on ground and sat beside him – to rest a little.  
"I'm there in a minute" he said.  
"I will survive another minute" laughed Naruto. "Anyway, what's exactly happened here?" he meant the seal.  
"Oh, it's simple.  
The Amaterasu burned it, partially. Now I can try to Kai it – but you must be careful about your getting angry.  
The demon would break out in the blink of an eye, Jinchuuriki"  
"Anyway, I have a name.  
Naruto. Uzumaki. The next Ho-"  
"YES, fourth Hokage's son, I knew.  
And now"  
"HOW COME YOU ALL KNOW THINGS ON ME THAT I DON'T KNOW?"  
"That's why I liked being in Anbus, dear. Now. Naruto. Okay.  
You got what I said?"  
"Yes."  
They shut up.  
Naruto mumbled – after all, death wasn't such a big problem.  
He hadn't killed himself since he lacked – not courage – but the nerve to do it.  
It seemed a shame, and so – in some way it was.  
It already was and he felt it – it already was, even if he didn't know why.  
"Sawy?" asked Itachi.  
"Sawy I brought you here? Neither the Akatsuki knows these places. I wish they won't find me.  
I need to make it clear before they get hands on you.  
You have to tell me what's happened".  
"Your brother has done it.  
He's really _it_ when it comes to do shit"  
"Going to Orochimaru and let him reincarnate, you mean? Oh, dear Christ, Jinchuuriki.  
Orochimaru is so stupid – he will teach him enough – Sasuke will be able to kill him. And he will.  
Didn't you understand it?  
And Sasuke will get something for Orochimaru's spoil, then, I think – he will get out stronger than he was.  
What's up?"  
Naruto's face was the emblem of FEAR.  
Then he suddenly calmed down – he had _decided_ to do it.  
He reflected for some minutes, then replied with a question:  
"Uchiha's ethos is what you did? _Or – what he did_?"  
Better to TELL HIM or avoid giving him the hint?  
"Well…killing is…our tradition…ethos, you say? Yes, killing is proper to our blood. Why that?"  
Naruto gaped at him.  
"You, who are a slaughterer…you've more ethics than him…also Orochimaru has, but you…"  
"Oh, you know, in the Anbus you forget feelings.  
In the Akatsuki you should forget wholly ethics etceteras. But I didn't. I don't want to tell you why"  
"It's true the same".  
Itachi was puzzled.  
How old was he?  
The experienced, detached eye with which Itachi saw him – granted him that Naruto was far older than his biological age.  
And Itachi thought – '_He's _older_, not _half-dead_ – like I am.  
More old and less young - not_ more dead and less alive_.  
There was another way, then? Could I also make it – like he did?'  
_Itachi's soul had been slaughtered – his itsy-bitsy heart couldn't give more than a sparkle – it hardly _remembered_ that he had loved, before.  
He was it, when it came to lies – to kill – to murder – to _end_.  
Itachi was a killer, and this was the only identification he had – the only coordinates he had to find himself.  
A killer and a deceiver.  
He was the non plus ultra of killers.  
He killed – to kill.  
Without any justification, without a sense – to kill.  
Wayward, properly wayward killer.  
As far as anyone else knew – he scratched his best friend's eyes out – he killed his own family – he left his little brother survive to make him a killer like him.  
He was the itch of that village.  
He was considered as the contagious doggish itch to eliminate.  
He was the one who scratched – where Konoha's politics itched.  
Nine years before – when he killed everyone from the Uchiha clan.  
Ethos?  
Yes, killing was Uchiha's ethos.  
No, _his way_ wasn't Uchiha's ethos.  
He was involved in a war – a civil war – or well, the preparation to a civil war.  
Someone in Konoha had itchy fingers – and someone else had too.  
Itachi's life in the Anbu wasn't acceptable nor appreciable, anyway – maybe, he egoistically chose to kill them all – because this left him the chance to escape.  
He had always been itching to get off – safe from those dangers and killings ad wars and – so forth.  
How is it called?  
Break out from the oppressor.  
You would ask him to love Konoha now?  
You wish a human being had Stockholm Syndrome?  
Pay a visit to a psychiatrist, then. You're not – not normal – it's – you're not _acceptable.  
_Change it.  
Itachi tore simply himself apart from the things that made him hurt.  
Konoha tattered and torn him – and his only defence – reply – was – etching Konoha's symbol on his headband.  
Or well, Sasuke etched it – _that night_.§  
Don't think that Itachi's mind was made of diamond, working as shit would will.  
Itachi's mind was human.  
He was obsessed by that night's images – he continued to see it.  
His wit was trapped in a black hole – like the Tsukyiomi – but he couldn't switch it off.  
Yeah, Itachi Uchiha was it.  
He had always been exceeding expectations.  
He was IT.  
He had only chosen to be in an item with death.

Now, he suddenly vented – came out of the ocean of his thoughts and remembered – Naruto.  
Who was thinking of him right then, and said:  
"You know, I wish I could work on my mind like it was my Tsukyiomi!"  
"Idiot. You can!" laughed Itachi.  
Naruto thought and replied:  
"That's it!" laughing.  
Itachi told him to take off the shirt – he'd try to Kai him.  
Naruto couldn't help rattling.  
But he did. He trusted him.  
That was strange – he, cold as he was – like he was dead.  
You couldn't sense his feelings – but he was – _concrete.  
Stable.  
Firm.  
Reliable.  
_Naruto KNEW he would kill him. And stop.  
No, Sasuke – NO.  
'_I really can't picture it – that they are brothers. Yes, Kakashi is right.  
Who is Sasuke's father? I may barter the information…'  
_"Itachi…talk to me and I talk to you."  
Itachi didn't let him go further:  
"What do you want to know?"  
"Who is Sasuke's father".  
Itachi sprang up and shouted:  
"WHO THE FUCK TOLD YOU ABOUT? You…" he took breath. He cleared his throat and said:  
"It's not a father matter, Jinchuuriki…"  
"If you don't stop calling me Jinchuuriki, I'll call you IT"  
"All right, JINCHU.  
I said – not of father. His father IS MINE.  
It was a different thing.  
Of course you don't know – I knew it happened, when I was little.  
But I didn't know WHO was involved.  
I understood it when I saw Sasuke last time. Now that he's growing up, it's on and on clearer"  
He kaied the seal, while he spoke.  
He made it – the seal worked again, completely.  
Itachi went on kaing everything he found – even a pair of caries.  
"Now, see. Orochimaru himself did it.  
I think he really wanted to prepare his own future body. I think he even tried to do it to me.  
I think Kakashi was involved – when they fought Orochimaru, that time.  
Kakashi told m something that could also mean this" looking Naruto's face, he said "You know, Anbus and information" smiling. He then went on:  
"Genes. Orochimaru put someone's cells in Sasuke.  
And I now know _whose_ cells.  
But I'll tell after you tell me".  
Naruto was thinking about - and looking at – his healing.  
"You know? You're really different from him.  
You aren't that bastard we think you were"  
"That habit you have – talking when you don't know…"  
"The same thing Sasuke always said"  
"You know him well"  
"In a way he's similar to you"  
"Is he so badass?"  
"Three years ago. It happened three years ago".  
"More or less. I knew.  
What happened?"  
"He – can't you step in my mind and have a look around? It's – impossible – to say."  
Itachi did.  
Then he put a hand on his eyes and forehead - he lowered the head and gulped – three or four times.  
He _couldn't _cry.  
But he wanted to.  
"You must fight the fear. You know?  
How's going – psychologically, I mean.  
How are you?"  
Naruto looked him, grinned his teeth, screw his eyes up and shook his head.  
He _didn't want to cry_. He had enough of it.  
"…I won't tell you whose cells they were. Stop."  
Naruto nodded – he suddenly realized that he didn't give a fuck.

_Cross my heart – I wear no disguise_


	8. Frail Limb Nursery

Frail Limb Nursery

Itachi was sick.  
The betrayal he did now seemed childish – so small and kind of simple – compared to the horrible misdeed _his_ Sasuke did.  
He had to realize that Sasuke's mind was completely gone.  
That festering bunch of misnaming and wrong results – that _wasn't_ Sasuke's mind.  
That was a cancer which conquered his brother's self – that was a virus which had ransacked his brother's will.  
Itachi couldn't refuse to comprehend – though his mind wasn't virgin, talking of traumas – it was still difficult for him to _picture_.  
It was difficult to conceive. His brother – his child?  
That vicious bastard – a backward human.  
This was the only definition he could think of.  
Itachi sat down beside Naruto, and began suddenly to call him by name.  
He tried to talk – to keep his mind too busy – to avoid picturing the mayhem that this boy beside him had witnessed – and lived.  
He talked about the Akatsuki – saying things that he of course didn't have to say – and things that he even didn't _want _ to say.  
He talked about what he did that night – he told Naruto _everything_.  
Apart from one thing.  
Whose cells were those that Sasuke had been given.  
The cells that had been implanted in his body – affecting his DNA and then modifying it.  
Changing it, and making Sasuke a partial clone of _that person_.  
How could he tell him?  
_Your father.  
_Itachi sighed. He went on talking.  
He told Naruto about that night – when the Kyuubi was freed.  
He told him about his parents, everything he remembered.  
He talked even about that masked man.  
He didn't knew why he trusted Naruto so much.  
But he felt that – willing or not – Naruto would walk on the right path.  
And this meant: everything Naruto brought with him, would go the right way.  
_Give him things _to be sure that they will arrive _home_ safe.  
Is this what you feel, being about a messiah?  
And by the way – '_why the hell am I thinking this'_ – okay the apostles – okay Judas.  
But how did it feel – to Mary Magdalene?  
"However, to come down to us" he cleared his throat.  
Naruto had listened in silence for more than an hour – his voice was rough, and he cleared his throat too.  
"What?"  
"You make the same sound of a frog…" said Itachi laughing stupidly.  
"What the hell - ! Itachi! Seriously!"  
"Okay, okay! You have to be kind to me. I have to go – I have to fix this thing, Naruto.  
There is only one person I can trust in the whole Akatsuki – he'll do what I tell him and no more. You know him…the shark-faced man. Kisame".  
"He was kind of aggressive the last time…" said Naruto rattling.  
"These were my orders. Now, I have to call him.  
Don't try to do stupid things – if you rebel, I'll have to kill you. Clear?"  
Naruto gulped.  
Itachi was still Itachi. And even if he was good before – how did he change, in those Akatsuki years?  
How many people had he killed?  
Itachi was treating him well, okay – but even if it was sympathy – _he even killed his parents_ – because he HAD TO.  
Machine-like, and he said it.  
"Okay"  
"Well. I call him."  
He made a crow appear and send it flying away. The answer came within half an hour – Naruto sighed.  
_They weren't near.  
_Half an hour in bird flight means four hours walking – on plain land.  
He knew that the last three hours of travel, they had walked on hills and then a mountain – where they were now.  
Itachi knew the place – he was quick in walking.  
Itachi followed – rebuilding, foreseeing and making it – his train of thoughts, and replied:  
"There is one of us who creates flying things, but don't worry.  
He's the second I could trust.  
It's enough to tell him that his art is wonderful and unattainable – _perfect_. He'd die for this".  
"…Your brother told me that I'm perfect"  
"Even if you actually are, this doesn't mean you are _a thing of his._ HOW ARROGANT he's become!  
Has he always been so – asshole?  
I mean, when he grew up. As a child…"  
"Yes, he is.  
And I can't think it's your fault, Itachi. I mean, I don't say this because you are here.  
I say this – I always _thought_ that he was exaggerating the problem.  
I mean, my parents are dead – Kakashi's parents are – Neji's father is – and so on.  
How many people have lost siblings and friends and partners – and they all shut up, do their work and go on living. AND THEY ARE GOOD!  
What is then?  
Is it then true – like the Kyuubi tells me – that the virus of evil is cowardice?"  
He looked at Itachi, gaping.  
This was _extremely interesting_ to him.  
The addiction to intelligence – the monkey of understanding.  
He got _used_ to that motherfucking immense amount of electric impulses in his brain – he got used to that powerful, might, beautiful – UTTER – sensation we humans feel when we UNDERSTAND something anew.  
Itachi litmus-tested it.  
He try to teach Naruto – an _example_ – the _story_ of a happened plot.  
This is an application of a system – completely predictable.  
It is annoying, if you know it is predictable – you don't _need_ this example.  
You don't give a fuck if it is or isn't already happened – it is _possible, _and this is what you need to know.  
When you already comprehend _systems_ and _constituents_ – the possible processes and the existing elements – you DON'T GIVE A FUCK about the list of their applications, known by a human being or another.  
Just tell me _what is possibly existing – HOW have I to process it_.  
This is what I need.  
Now that you know how to value it – HOW MANY TEACHERS HAVE YOU KNOWN?  
None. As for me, none. No one has ever been able.

In fact – Naruto was annoyed. He interrupted him – willingly – and began to talk of something else.  
He asked Itachi about his life in Akatsuki.  
"What a shit of a life, huh? No love, no peers, no friends – no human life".  
"Now it's even worse, Jinchu – Naru – JINCHU. Hahaha…"  
"And why it is, IT?"  
"Because, JINCHU, you can picture what I feel – because of Sasuke.  
He's like dead – to me. He's like – disappeared.  
Naruto… Do you know what it's like to live with that? No one knows what it's like.  
The only one who knew me, gone."  
"But this just doesn't only mean that we feel the same, It. It's the same person we feel the same about."  
"Double convergence, yes. Me and you.  
The killer and the cannon fodder. What a couple!  
Sometimes I just think that God likes to misdeal".  
"Yeah…you can find a full poker or a mere couple, but you always find where you didn't think!  
This just means that you ain't been able to foresee it.  
To compute it, to calculate it.  
But – for the mind – isn't it impossible to miscalculate?  
I mean, yielding the wrong result – we do.  
But the process _has _to be right. So what?"  
"…The only thing possible is that _you take one thing for another._  
If you misname – you understand?  
You wrong the definition of something.  
So you treat it like it was something else, and of course it doesn't work.  
That's why - you take a two and use it as a nine.  
The sum won't be right.  
FUCK YEAH!  
It's extremely SIMPLE!  
Thank you, Jinchu!"  
"Thanks the Kyuubi, my dear. He's the one who teaches me…"  
"Yeah, maybe.  
Listen, Jinchu. I'm going to fix this Sasuke thing.  
You know what I mean.  
This is a job for me. You stay here with Kisame and wait until I come back – then we'll leave, if he wants to come with us.  
If not, he'll go back in the Akatsuki and won't even remember a thing.  
NO, I'm not killing you.  
I'll bring you back to Konoha. And I hope – you understand."  
"You better be aware – the people in Konoha – _you_ can't trust everyone.  
Better you don't show to be so good – they'll think you're weak. And you're alone, Itachi.  
You know, you are a lone guerrilla against a whole regular army.  
Be careful…"  
"That's why you will officially be my hostage." he said, with a smug smile.  
Kisame arrived, Itachi instructed him and left.  
Naruto and the sharkman began to talk after a quarter of hour and told respectively each other's life – they ate, they quarreled and they laughed.  
Naruto asked him to come with them.  
"You're a great guy! C'mon home!"  
"Had I ever had one, I'd know. Let me see…"

Itachi found Orochimaru and Sasuke.  
They were quarreling – actually Orochimaru was scolding him.  
He was really angry, this time.  
The fact was that his precious spoil – Sasuke's body – could be erased – "IF ITACHI FOUND YOU – if you went against the Akatsuki – Konoha's Jonins – you idiot"  
"I wanted to and I"  
"YOU DO WHAT I WANT, SUCKER – as far as you WILL BE ME!"  
Sasuke laughed.  
"Won't you help me having him? Otherwise we're going on this way"  
Orochimaru slapped him – violently.  
"What your father should have done when you were a child. Any male child needs this.  
NOW. You won't…_oh, shit._"  
Orochimaru leapt out of his skin.  
And landed farer from where he was before.  
Itachi had knocked down the wall and entered calmly.  
"Hi, _you_. Orochimaru" he said, nodding.  
Orochimaru: "Oh, look. The itchy brother…"  
Sasuke laughed.  
Itachi looked him – not in the eyes – and said:  
"I thought of this and decided to collaborate.  
We can be allies, Sasuke.  
Coalescing, we'll take the Kyuubi and the Jinchuuriki. The whole Akatsuki is on your side.  
Right, Orochimaru?  
We'll take your precious future…" he smiled devilishly and beastly.  
"Yees…" sighed Orochimaru.  
Who wasn't stupid.  
And had understood.  
And answered – this meant that YES.  
Itachi moved against him – Sasuke believed it.  
He attacked Orochimaru altogether.  
But Itachi's blow didn't hit Orochimaru – but Sasuke.  
He was wounded and – the time he realized what happened – Orochimaru caught him.  
The reincarnation process was really easy – having Itachi holding Sasuke down.  
Sasuke's mind fought – and in the end Orochimaru managed to take control over him.  
He thought he would end the process of colonization later, with time, as he had always done.  
For the moment, Sasuke's conscience could continue existing.  
He turned to Itachi and opened the mouth – before he disappeared.  
Orochimaru was baffled.  
What then was…?  
Had he really wanted – ONLY – to _kill_ Sasuke?  
The Akatsuki forced him to do it?  
They didn't want to have another rival – in the race for the Kyuubi – so…  
In the next hours, Orochimaru realized that their battle had ended – in truth – in a nil-nil draw.  
He and Sasuke were both conscious and awake in Sasuke's body.  
At times Orochimaru took control of their movements.  
At times it was Sasuke to handle themselves.  
Orochimaru, as soon as Sasuke stopped trying to revolt, said:  
"My dear, Itachi surely miscued.  
He isn't so stupid – or so evil, as you think…"  
"You're wrong.  
He didn't call me _brother_.  
He didn't talk of the Kyuubi alone, but also of the Jinchuuriki. _He knows…"  
_"I got this. Then?"  
"He disavowed me".  
"I would do, the same, didn't I need your body. And now I have it…with what you've done!  
Neither I ever…"  
"Okay, okay, I wrong methods – but I only scarcely missed the point – and I still hit the target" he laughed.  
"A miss is as good as a mile" said Orochimaru seriously.  
"What to say?"  
"It's gone and wasted. The next time you touch him he'll simply commit suicide".  
"I'll force him to stay alive then."  
"ANIMAL. And I say…"  
"It's three fucking years I yearn to him. I'm exploding.  
What then wants to do my brother?"  
"Barter your death with his salvation – backward what he did years ago.  
He'll redeem in the eyes of Konoha – he'll tell the truth – he'll go back home. Redressing the Jinchuuriki.  
He had rove you to life and now he's cutting his leash"  
"He'll only misuse Naruto worse than I did"  
"ABUSE, Sasuke, ABUSE.  
He's a person, not a thing"  
"The mismatched we are..."  
"Mh mh. Wait until I get used to this"  
"It's a menace?"  
"It's a prevision of actual consequences.  
What we humans do."  
Itachi was running away crying, sobbing, moaning and panting.  
He tried only to forget even this feeling.  
He tried only to NOT GIVE A FUCK ABOUT IT.  
His brother – was dead – _years ago.  
_He erased Sasuke's grown-up memories from his own mind.  
You know, he knew this – you can handle your mind like you do with the Tsukyiomi.  
He thought of teaching it to Naruto.  
He thought – '_is it so impossible to develop the Sharingan for a non-Uchiha …_HUH_?'  
Was it worth – giving him one of his eyes?  
_Was it worth? Yes. It was worth.  
"Jinchu…let's try to live again".

_You cried - I died_


	9. Purity

Purity

Itachi came back and found them sleeping – Naruto had lain his head on Kisame's knees.  
Kisame's head leant on the rock wall behind him, and he was snarling soundly.  
Itachi laughed and sighed, trying to walk in utmost silence.  
But as soon as he sat down Naruto woke up and watched him straight in the eyes.  
'_The intelligence he's developing. It's not only of maths – body control, instinct, perception.  
He's really improving – more and more'.  
_Itachi said "It's done. He's gone.  
I hope that Orochimaru eats him – wholly. I hope he dies and nothing's left of his conscience. It's done.  
Now, let me explain some things to Kisame…"  
"What's up? What for?"  
Naruto was anxious.  
There was a reason; his whole life, his mind had always told him – '_hey , under some layer in _this place_ there is something important to know – strange – relevant'_.  
The difference was that NOW he was able to decode it, to understand it.  
Itachi answered:  
"Wait…don't even begin.  
I don't want to hear a word about it. It's not your business, first of all.  
And you mustn't care…"  
"You're just like him, see, you're just like Sasuke! You always say this!  
WELL, I'VE PAYED AND I'LL PAY FOR YOUR SORROWS – so I _must_ be involved _also_ when it comes to – resolve them! Is it clear?"  
Kisame of course woke up hearing his screams and looked smiling Itachi, saying: "Henpecked…"  
Itachi told him to shut up immediately, but it was Naruto to laugh and reply – to Itachi.  
"Not that I didn't _also_ think of it…why Kisame? Won't you be here? Huh?  
Where the fuck do you want to go?"  
Perhaps if Itachi had directly looked down (or anyway avoided looking him) Naruto wouldn't understand. But probability and human casuistic told him that this glance – Itachi's blank, void, dull glance – could mean that he was thinking only _one thing_: NO.  
To say: NO WHERE.  
"You didn't think really of it?  
FOR HIS FAULT now you even LOSE THIS? Are you stupid?  
YOU STAY WITH ME – I don't care, I don't give a fuck – DON'T TRY TO EXPLAIN!"  
He stopped since Kisame was rolling on the ground laughing.  
Naruto and Itachi looked him for a moment - then they both turned to face each other.  
Itachi sighed and hid his face in a hand.  
Naruto went on:  
"HOWEVER, I was saying – YOU GO TO KONOHA and stop, even if I don't go there! Don't – Kisame, tell him"  
"C'mon, Jinchu, I can't tell him what he has to do!"  
"YOU WOULD LET HIM COMMIT SUICIDE?"  
Kisame looked him completely bewildered. He turned to Itachi and roared:  
"ARE YOU FUCKING COMPLETELY GONE MAD?"  
Itachi blushed and said:  
"Would you fucking stop screaming?  
We're hiding! Okay they don't know…but Kisame, you know.  
There's nothing…no hope. I can't force myself to…to crawl on…this…you, think of him.  
I'll tell you – Jinchu!"  
Naruto had slapped him, grabbed his hair and was pulling him to sit down.  
"Shut the fuck up. I don't give a damn.  
I consider myself in your hands – YOU NEED A RACKET?"  
Kisame laughed and intervened:  
"He always preferred - to barter…"  
"Okay, barter your survival with my keeping inside me the Kyuubi and not letting him out."  
"_You are completely gone mad?"  
_"Who's the one who wants to kill himself? You stay here. I don't give a damn"  
"In truth…  
I wanted to go to Konoha and barter _my death_ with some things, but…okay. Now, look.  
This means we go on as we had agreed…you officially are my hostage.  
I'll racket Konoha, they let me say the truth – and they will get at Danzou.  
I'm sorry but the whipping boy, this time, will be him.  
You're staying around with us – we must find a mean to communicate with Konoha, without them knowing where we are. Kisame?"  
"Water.  
I'll send things through fishes. They're perfect…they know what to tell whom.  
What can I say right now?"  
"Let me write it, then you'll copy it in their memories"  
"…What a strange language…"  
"Oh, I saw it in the Tsukyiomi.  
Kisame, please – it's better – I feel – that I don't leave him even for a moment.  
Could you just go down there?  
There's someone walking towards us. He's not from the Akatsuki…and he's singing."  
Kisame went and left the two of them alone.  
"Jinchu…you want to give me a second life?  
You think I can use now the knowledge acquired in my pain?  
Or you think that resistance – patience – tolerance – is a phase, possibly ending?  
That _I won't be able_, a time or another, to stand it?"  
"…You'll make it, Itachi.  
You're it when it comes to make it.  
You know, It.  
You're so different from him.  
Where did he learn this – overbearing behaviour?  
That vice he had – of putting his hands on my face.  
Overbearing…I couldn't get out – from _his presence, feeling him_, you understand?  
Even if I closed my eyes – I would sniff the smell of his skin…he was _constantly violating_ me – myself.  
That's why I'm so afraid of his winning on Orochimaru.  
If Orochimaru lets him be awake in his body, if Sasuke gets the chance to _use_ Orochimaru's abilities – HOW EASILY could he enter my mind?  
He'll sneak in – he'll leak through – he'll pervade me.  
He's so FUCKING OBSESSED with me! I can't – realize it! How come it happened?  
When did he change? _Has he really always been so fucking – _batshit crazy?  
Crazy – he's – blown up.  
But I can't help thinking that I've been his trigger…"  
"Nor you, nor me…Orochimaru did.  
Naruto…there are different ways to – come to understand something about yourself.  
If you face it calmly – it gets a reaction.  
If you face it covertly – you refuse it – it gets _another_ reaction.  
Orochimaru was the litmus test of my brother's repressed _passive _homosexuality.  
He couldn't dodge it – he couldn't avoid to understand.  
Orochimaru was his forced choice – luckily that scoundrel is no more human enough to conceive things like this.  
If not, I wouldn't allow _my brother_ to go there to him…Then, he decided he had to get you.  
All this violence he used – that was because, actually, _normally_, okay, in your couple – the roles would be reversed.  
And he knew.  
That may be – that he thinks he _possesses_ you – it's normal…he thinks you're _his own_ – and then, you're even born later.  
You're the youngest…I MEAN-"  
"W-W-W-WHAT?"  
Itachi looked him, wasted.  
His eyes opened wide – his lips screwed up – he couldn't even swallow.  
Naruto, _reading _into his eyes: "Whose cells were they?"  
Pause.  
Then he stood up, stepped towards Itachi and past him.  
When he was beside him, he put a hand on his head – and looked at the horizon, the mountains, the mist, the sky – he breathed deeply – twice.  
Then he laughed – he couldn't help laughing.  
"Whatever…it's so perfect, wholly, COMPLETELY…_it's always alright_…"  
"Pitiless content…the clear mind's abandon."  
"Itachi…c'mon. _Hope_.  
Realize that it's possible.  
It's foreseeing the future.  
Probability tells that YOU'll come home – and with me. Second life?  
I'll give you a brand new world…"

Then Kisame went back, with a guy by the hand.  
He had white hair, but not like Jiraya's: they shone like pearls.  
Long, straight, white hair – white brows and eyelashes – and brown eyes.  
He was so beautiful that you could scarcely _think_ he was human.  
In the eyes – not a Sharingan – but the same thing, quite.  
His iris was a mosaic of lights and shades, red, orange yellow and green – these were, it was evident – variations on a brown basis.  
A remix of the colour of his iris – a set of variations made by the mind.  
This was his intelligence – his eyes were constantly changing.  
Enlightening, darkening, blackening, freezing, warming, melting, crystallizing, becoming liquid and then fluid and then vaporous – always _saying _something.  
It was like you could _read_ on his iris.  
The incredible thing was properly this: _you didn't know him_ – and you were one like other thousands for him.  
So this meant _that all those thousands _could comprehend.  
How did he – select – isolate – define – _rim_ – the general, common code of humans?  
Wow.  
He was perfectly able to speak with your brain – dodging you, or well maybe _bypassing_ you or well NO, it actually is – X rays.  
'_Radiography - he sees THROUGH you.  
He speaks directly with your mind – and he even _explains_ you what YOUR OWN mind thinks.  
Wait…this means _heknows it and I don't_? WHY? I want to get at his level! How did he do it?'  
_While Naruto – alone – understood all these things, the other two were trying to talk with the guy.  
This was quite impossible, since the guy didn't speak their language – but in the end, Itachi and Kisame eventually realized that _this guy was understanding  
_everything they THOUGHT.  
For the moment, they didn't get any light about _him_; he simply sat down and pointed his stomach – to say, "I'm hungry".  
He had a white cloth dropped on the shoulders, covering him from head to toe, open on the front.  
Under it, you could see a white uniform with black leather belts and a red drape around the waist.  
A strange hood hanged on his back from the collar – it looked _pointed_, not on top of the head but on the front, on forehead.  
He spoke only to tell them his name: Shin.  
Itachi was puzzled – he clearly wasn't from there.  
He understood: he adapted his real name to their pronunciation.  
Then Itachi noticed Naruto's face – and instantly burst out laughing.  
Naruto was staring at this guy's _head_ with an incredible face – totally brain-addled.  
Naruto was _following_ Shin's trains of thoughts – and he was that bewildered, because he saw that Shin ran _from four to six_ different trains of thoughts altogether.  
Constantly stopping, resuming, beginning, ending, evaporating, coming back to matter.  
But the incredible thing, in itself, was: he didn't wrong a step.  
No train derailed.  
And he worked so fast, so fast that you could scarcely SEE the trains.  
And, moreover: Naruto could see, in his mind, _what_ there was.  
Naruto was looking at the same things Shin looked.  
But in Shin's mind there were a number of elements, of data – that Naruto _didn't see.  
_The same thing – Naruto saw it up to 30% Shin did.  
It really seemed X rays – Shin saw things shining, reflecting – opalescent – _more than 3D _– he SAW them gorging out from the ground of air.  
He saw through them, and behind them, _and them_ completely.  
Shin comprehended the 190% - more or less – of _what was around him_.  
Shin comprehended the 190% of what he saw.  
That was why he was so calm! That was why he trusted Itachi and Kisame!  
Lately, then, Naruto had also understood why Kisame and Itachi looked like they were just reborn.  
Kisame and Itachi, contrary to Naruto, _had never been comprehended wholly and perfectly_ by something/one else.  
Naruto had always had the Kyuubi.  
Those two – no one had ever seen _inside _them – WE MEAN SEEN EVERYTHING inside them, not partially.  
Partially a thing' isn't 'the thing'. No way.  
It isn't acceptable, justifiable or defensible.  
'Partially' is blasphemous to the human mind, just as 'seem' is – 'want' truly is HERETIC.  
This guy had X-rayed their minds and themselves as soon as he saw them.  
This guy had _known_ them, and let them know what he saw.  
He comprehended them – he processed them – and gave the yielded conclusions to themselves.  
Naruto had witnessed all of this.  
He suddenly realized that Shin was asking him to put him contact with the Kyuubi.  
When they said each other something, this something wasn't a plain, clear unique sentence.  
The words reverberated – echoed repeating and overlapping – each phrase was repeated almost 15 times.  
This was because of their need to think, of course, of _other things_: mainly what physically happened in their surroundings.  
So Shin, to make sure that the phrase was caught, sent it a number of times repeatedly – whatever Naruto thought, a small gap would surely be left – a gap in 'the veil', through which Naruto _would see_ another thing behind it.  
Another thing – just like the windows on your desktop.  
These are the thoughts in the human mind.  
No wonder, we created the computer _copying_ the human mind – consciously and willingly.

So he did what Shin had asked him – Shin was put in communication with the Kyuubi and when he badly asked him: "What the hell do you want from me?" Shin's reaction was laughing out loud.  
"You're a demon, and you ask me _what the hell_?  
What's up with you? C'mon, you could be better."  
"Empathy is out of my way, _you_. What is this and what are you?  
The strength of your chakra balance – the light of your chakra – the lack of your karma – you're like a Jinchuuriki.  
But I can't feel a demon inside you".  
"Look better, dear fox. What can you see inside me?"  
"A body. … a corpse? _What_? Huh…It's like a dead body – so dead that it can't have been alive.  
Huh…a _thing_. How can you be possessed by a thing?"  
"Kyuubi. My head hurts. I've thought too much and didn't sleep enough.  
I'm leaving it here now – if you don't step forward in understanding this, _at least_ stay where I left you. Kyuubi, don't fail as humans willingly do. Anyway, _your name_?"  
"Kurama, _you_.  
You know I don't care for yours – and I know you'd tell me that I mustn't care about _who you are_ – but what _you do_.  
Anyway, you come here to tickle me – and you aren't even afraid of dying"  
"I can't die and be afraid altogether, Kyuubi.  
Moreover, my being afraid won't skip my death forward.  
The only thing I can tell you is that my death will be consequence of the external world.  
I already lost the will to live – thrice – but I never stopped. Now I can't.  
I'm so tired…"  
And saying this he disappeared and came out of that place – not that he had to come back to reality, he had always been there.  
He was contemporarily talking with the Kyuubi, undergoing a Tsukyiomi and x-raying Itachi to understand how it worked.  
He saw _through_ the Tsukyiomi – reality and inside Itachi's mind.  
The translucent, transparent, opalescent rainbow kaleidoscope that reality was to him – this charmed Naruto.  
After three minutes of Tsukyiomi, Shin screwed up his eyes – reopened them – looked Itachi – and fired the Tsukyiomi back.  
Itachi was puzzled – but he started laughing.  
Because he understood that they could act on _the same_ Tsukyiomi together. Shin followed his choices and actions.  
Then he began to play some scenes – there were a blond child and a man in a desert – then the child and a fox in a garden of roses.  
Itachi looked Naruto and looked Shin, then asked him what was this.  
Shin grabbed his backpack and took out a book – a small book.  
A white cover, with that child drawn – poorly drawn – on a small ball – oh, a planet.  
The letters of the title…Itachi worked a lot on them, using the Mangenkyou, before he could read them – and then he had to understand what they said.  
In two hours he had decoded only the title, but _he wanted _ to read that book – to Naruto.  
The pages Itachi loved the most – the pages he cried over – were those that spoke of the garden and the fox.  
The little prince, himself, really was like Naruto.  
Of course, while Itachi read him the book – Naruto gazed at the guy, following his thoughts.  
So he laughed when Shin corrected some words, so he saw what Shin knew of this story.  
And his applying it to his own life.  
The interesting thing was that all life, in Shin's mind, was described in past tense.  
But actually referred to the present time: only, speaking in past tense, he made it clear to himself – that everything had been done, was already decided – he couldn't change it.  
He couldn't set it or pose it _now_.  
Without check, nor change – without good, nor crime.  
Thus was his mind; Shin had evidently worked a lot on it, to bring it to this state.  
The fixedness of his state of mind was impressive.  
Some things may swing a little, like they were vibrating, when external events put their reflections in it.  
But his mind didn't move – no change of place.  
He never checked it – to see _how_ it was going now. There was no need.  
Nothing could change in his mind.  
He always did what he had to do – Naruto shivered in hearing Shin's definition of it: "functional".  
He called crimes, misdeeds, mistakes, pangs and sorrows "dysfunctions".  
He called good "functional".  
He was more than cold – even more than crystallized.  
It wasn't even stone, his mind. It was made like – diamond.  
_Everything_ in his mind was under his complete control.  
The scary thing was – he neither looked what happened inside it.  
Firstly, he had always foreseen it.  
Secondly, it seemed – that he neither had to look – like he was _constantly, forcedly_ seeing his mind.  
He looked astray _and saw it the same_.  
Like his mind was sewn on his perception – ears and eyes.  
Naruto tried a number of times to look at the reason – or well, at the way – _how did he_ manage to climb this high?  
Shin blocked him, every time.  
The instinct he had was to protect Naruto.  
Not that he said "Don't go there" like you do with a child – thus surely the child _will_ go there.  
He blocked physically Naruto, without speaking – and as we said, he neither moved.  
So Naruto understood: he wasn't blocking him now.  
The block was there, and was unmovable.  
He had built the block – before.  
Naruto looked at the block.  
It was transparent and concrete as – '_I said it! Diamond!'  
_How can someone build a diamond wall – seeing it – Shin told him that this wall rimmed him.  
It perfectly followed his shape – defining, once and for all, _semel et semper_, a stated condition.  
"When you'll be 22 you will be able to use it as it has to be used.  
Now you would only misuse it like I did.  
And you would pay, getting _nothing_.  
You would pay and suffer – for _nothing.  
_Do you want _nothing_?"  
"Something is just telling me that the answer is yes, I do.  
But why? Nothing?"  
"You wanted to die, Jinchuuriki?"  
He never called him Naruto.  
"Yes…that's what…? But you got it!  
And you're alive!"  
"Better we skip this, Jinchuuriki. Now, what were we talking about – now?  
Oh, yes, the prince"  
"A stupid would think – wait, he says it – about farewell…it was worth, yes…of course…better than nothing…"  
"Jinchuuriki.  
_Then happy I that love and am beloved where I cannot remove, nor be removed_"_.  
_You saw Shin laughing when he said "Jinchuuriki"?  
Just a decode-ability test. It was probable.  
"This is but a habit, Jinchuuriki. A habit that is like your own skin.  
Once you wear it, you can never drop it down.  
This is not good, this is not beautiful, this is not right.  
This is only pleasuring.  
But to buy the human mind, you have to be pleasuring.  
Whatever addiction you'll ever have, remember – even from a person – it is hurtful the addiction, and it is hurtful leaving it.  
What has become usual – is written on your home's walls.  
And until you become 22, you won't be able to erase the writings – without tearing the wall down and rebuilding it again.  
The truth is, once you build it the second time, this wall is fixed.  
It will be eternally there. You will die with it.  
What is on your home's walls, you understand – it's how you see the _homely_.  
So it becomes homely, and you never want to leave home, even if it is falling down, breaking to pieces.  
Home is home.  
So remember: _change your home_, not 'change home'. Okay? Then.  
_Even I regained my freedom with a sigh_.  
The virus of lies is exaggerating.  
The way to solve _anything existing_ is the middle.  
Don't take it raw and eat it so – give it to your mind, it's its job. It cooks it.  
Process it, my dear. _Predict – foresee it_.  
That's why you got the mind"  
"And what have I to predict?"  
Naruto hanged on his words as a dog from _his human_'s actions.  
"What is necessary to your survival.  
The only one thing you created your mind for.  
The ONLY ONE thing you have to do – remember this, Jinchuuriki.  
Your survival is your pride, your price and your worth. Of course, maybe…"  
Yes, he laughed.  
Naruto smiled.  
He then came back to Itachi, looking him for a minute, and saying:  
"Let me see it in the Tsukyiomi!"  
Itachi laughed wholeheartedly.  
His instinct was to kiss him on the forehead – but he just did it with eyes, he neither needed to move.  
Itachi wasn't stupid, you know.  
Now the ultimate question Naruto posed, about Shin's mind, was:  
"All these things – moving, the trains of thoughts I called them – you correct me and say _trails_ of thoughts, alright – well.  
Your mind is still and motionless – blank and void.  
Your mind looks like it's blind.  
But it constantly produces – things – oh, well.  
Yes, I understood.  
The settings of your mind – _how the machine is _– are fixed and unmovable.  
The machine works and yields products. Item.  
You are an item with yourself!"  
Yes, you saw it right: Naruto laughed.  
How is predictable, human's intelligence.  
How is it predictable, _to human intelligence_?  
How is predictable X to X?  
Absolutely.

_This Romeo is bleeding, but you can't see his blood. It's nothing but some feelings that this old dog kicked up - I can't sing a love song like the way it's meant to be - Well, I guess I'm not that good anymore; but baby, that's just me!_


	10. Liberate

Liberate:

However, as he noticed things in Shin's mind – he could build a theory of the system it worked under.  
There were a lot of things – that, _commonly_ (not 'normally') in the human mind are opposite – and here they were convergent.  
He had broken down many a system – many a process – of the ones common for humans, yes.  
But only common, they're not _the right ones.  
_They are usually made and repeated – they are conceived only through imitation – and you all feel _this is wrong_.  
It is going against the evolution.  
The human evolution is physical only secondly.  
Firstly it is psychological.  
We humans – we _constantly_ EVOLVE.  
Never make a thing as it has been done before – _of course at 100% we mean_.  
We _always mean_ THE 100% OF IT, when we say IT.  
Otherwise we would have specified: IT, 50%.  
No specifying? No specification.  
Meaning 100%, _immediately, perfectly and completely.  
_THE THING and stop.  
It isn't difficult, for God's sake…  
Back in our picture: Shin had changed many a habit, bringing them to another state – therefore process – therefore _results_ and _features_.  
First of all: humans wrong things, in their mind, since they believe they'll wrong them and then leave them back.  
You willingly make a mess in this place since after you do you'll go away.  
You _won't_ suffer the consequences of the _wrong_ thing that has been done.  
Instead, Shin _couldn't_ – walk away.  
He could break in vain, but he couldn't break away.  
He could do wrong – but he couldn't escape.  
'_That's why he became like this – even if it hurt him…that was its worth. Worth its price…"  
_Shin answered, looking this subject sidelong, commenting:  
"Yeah, you got it right."  
We translate _yeah_, but Shin said "Is" –  
"In fact it is a consequence of this cause – as my change works.  
But actually I began acting like this before I did the change – since I predicted it.  
We humans, you know…exceeding expectations is natural to us-"  
Yeah, he laughed.  
Naruto understood – Shin _forced_ himself to do right – _constraining himself_ from doing wrong.  
Then Naruto looked on his feeling and saw very strange things.  
He hadn't fear, nor hate.  
What fear is to humans, pain was to him.  
What hate is to humans, spite was to him.  
Physiologically, we mean.  
A thing that frightens us – made his heart beat like a machine gun.  
And it hurt.  
A thing that is hateful to us – made him sick, his stomach revolted.  
And it hurt.  
Moreover – _nothing else_ than him changed a thing in his mind.  
Not only an atom of it was _moved_ by others.  
Shin alone handled it.  
His eyes were constantly changing, yes, but – they were so _hard_.  
Like him, so hard, so wasted, so mutable – these _are _opponents, as far as we know.  
_Hard_ is usually referred to _strong_, and _mutable_ is usually referred to _fragile _or _weak.  
_Well, remember the saying on the Oak breaking under a storm.  
You remember the rest?  
Can you extrapolate from incomplete data?  
Are you human?  
Well – better – now Naruto knew something that had all these features together.  
That something was _the node_, the _crossroad_, the _cross_ – that let them converge.  
"Is. You got it.  
You're constantly getting it.  
You're the first one I know, with which it is worth to talk, Jinchuuriki.  
How are you?"  
Naruto knew, Naruto felt, that this – how he was – _was _Shin's business.  
It was like Shin was naturally and normally – _moreover,_ impersonally – responsible of him.  
He explained him his situation.  
Shin said:  
"There's no trauma.  
Mind can't be hurt, it isn't organic.  
Forget it and stop.  
Act like it happened to someone else – a character you saw in a story, then felt what happened to him.  
Actually it is what you did, but you can't still understand – now – that YOU PICTURE YOURSELF.  
It is _always_ distinguished – discrete – not _in you –_you two aren't the same constituent.  
You are two constituents: a thing and its representation.  
Remember all of this, this is really EASY.  
By the way, how could you _be _the thing _you picture_?"  
Yes, he laughed out loud.  
"This is absurd!  
So, forget your mayhem. The trauma never existed, now you know it.  
Of course remember that physically it _has_ happened.  
Empty the bin, Jinchuuriki – _but don't throw away the bin_.  
Keep it and fill it with something else.  
It's obvious.  
Keep the skin, believe me. Always keep the skin.  
You don't have to sew it upon you – you _can_ stand it, you can _make it_, you WILL keep your skin.  
_This is normal_.  
Will it be necessary to act differently – _you will see it.  
Then_ IT MUST BE CERTAIN. If it isn't certain, it _ISN'T_"_.  
_"Ours is _boom psychology_, Shin".  
Yes, Naruto had laughed.

Itachi and Kisame sent their requests/racket to Konoha. Konoha answered immediately: dropping the killing menaces, the message was clearly "Yes".  
Tsunade had moved half of the village against Danzou, as soon as she had confirmed Itachi's data.  
Who confirmed it, then?  
The man who came there seemed to have – not intercepted their communications, but – _espied_ the trio.  
The Sharingan – could X-ray matter – so Itachi could see _who and what_ was physically approaching.  
But it didn't apply to Shadow-copies (unphysical Kagebunshin) nor _ghosts_ – or the like.  
Like this man.  
He talked only with Anbus – we mean normal Anbus.  
He refused to take part in the war - but his reasons weren't specified at all.  
He said he wanted Konoha to get rid of Danzou - and he wished Orochimaru was pushed off the ring.  
We said he talked with normal Anbus, but we don't mean 'the Anbus not involved in Danzuo's deviation' - we mean 'Anbus who opposed Danzou and supported Tsunade'.  
The constabulary split in two – severing Danzou's supporters and followers (from his deviated faction, the Ne, _and_ from normal Anbus) from his opponents.  
Tsunade evaluated the situation: there was an incredible risk of civil war, golpe and terrorist attacks.  
Itachi had to be immediately individuated – and _protected_.  
He sent Kakashi with a squad – Sakura, Neji and Shikamaru – to locate them.  
Tenzou asked to be adjoined, and he was.  
Tsunade insisted on sending them _after_ the political climax, in Konoha, calmed and returned to peace.  
On the contrary – it constantly _heated.  
_The climax was clearly that of a civil war – people had divided on their sides, as they always do, but the sides this time were only two.  
Which edge of the river do you choose?  
"Which river?", would an intelligent person reply.  
"Your blood's."  
What answer could you give, being in this situation? Which edge of your blood's river would you choose?  
Neji obviously stood on Tsunade's side.  
He had to regain Naruto – _he had to see him_.  
Itachi's behaviour wasn't suspect to him – he didn't think of rivalry.  
But he had to get at Naruto, even just to smell his skin.  
To put _his _smell – he had thought of an interesting thing. A mental barrier – an isolation – like a chastity belt – fence your territory.  
He suddenly realized _why_ Sasuke raped him.  
The sickness, the fear, the rejection Naruto would bear from that moment on – _that was the surest anti-thief alarm.  
_Neji realized that he had the mouth full of saliva. He spat.  
It was the last resort to him.  
He _could_ affect and influence Naruto's mind – and he _would_.  
In the worst case, it could be necessary to rape Naruto's _will_ – changing it.  
Make him want it.  
_'I'm thirsting to death – where he's water._  
_How could I go there, only to see him, to talk to him. I must be nigh enough – FOUND!_  
_Mental control on the same fish they sent.  
It recognizes Naruto, it connects me with him – it plays the bridge – the mirror'.  
_Neji actually licked his lips – and had to sit down – even when you're alone, it is quite embarrassing.  
He had this idea in the nick of time.  
Tsunade was sending a fish back – Neji asked her if he could analyse its mind, to see if there was some strange thing – "Maybe put by Itachi's Mangenkyou."  
Tsunade allowed him, and he told her that nothing was strange in it.  
He did what he wanted – he waited for the answer.  
He bit his lips to blood, waiting it – he scratched nails on his palms until his local nerves went berserk.  
He healed them, continuously spitting.  
The fish arrived while Itachi and Naruto were having a conversation on the Sasuke/Orochimaru matter.  
"I went yesterday, and it was Orochimaru to control.  
I went today, and it was Sasuke.  
He talked with me, he wants to know what happens – you know, _between us_.  
I told him this absolutely isn't his business"  
He paused, gazing Naruto's face for a moment.  
Naruto blushed and smiled opening the mouth.  
Itachi looked astray and blushed himself, with the same stupid smile – the mouth opened, as it couldn't be closed.  
Itachi stared him again – he was only waiting for the situation to get – _more normal_.  
Naruto looked him, smiled again, laughed and went to Shin – who was sitting on the ground, with a small clockwork-like device in hand.  
At first sight Itachi thought it was made for communications – it was quite difficult to picture that Shin's people built such incredibly complicated devices _only to listen to music_.  
Shin refused to let them hear the music he like the most – it had to be music _to dance_.  
He always rapped the beat – the rhythm – with fingers, feet and head.  
"What does it sound like?"  
"A microphoned storm.  
I mean, you have to register perfectly – and closely – every lighting and thunder, then the rain's beating – better hail and sleet – and then _mix_ them.  
You don't like it, believe me.  
You haven't developed the necessary sensibility…"  
He only let them hear 'classical' or 'Celtic' music – there were also rap and pop music, yes, but they didn't understand a single word.  
So, Naruto went there, sat down beside him and dropped himself on Shin's lap.  
Lying in his arms and on his knees, he suddenly felt a thought piercing his brain and passing through – a thought that Shin felt and made him laugh.  
"Nope. Not for you, no hard feelings. It's not you, the problem".  
Naruto sighed and – without thinking of it – passed a hand on Shin's waist and grabbed his hip.  
Then he looked him in eyes – Shin laughed again shaking his head.  
Naruto left the hand there but dropped this idea down, he turned to lay on a side – nape toward Shin and faced pressed on his thigh.  
Shin left him there, sighing and putting a hand on his head. It wasn't passed a minute when Naruto started laughing – helplessly.  
"Wait, wait…you didn't understand…"  
Shin looked him baffled until he got it – and burst out laughing – howling.  
He pushed his head off his legs – Naruto moaned and came back, laying it down on the edge of his knee.  
Itachi looked at all of this and laughed – but in half voice.  
Naruto slept hard and deeply, at night – Kisame watched over him and never left his sight, because at night Itachi left to watch over his things.  
And to watch over something else.  
Shin _never left_ them see an inch of his skin.  
He went to wash himself alone, at night – but in daytime he often dropped his white cloth and walked around in uniform.  
And Naruto wasn't prone to think of it – but Itachi was 20 and still virgin and he wasn't blind.  
Shin's uniform was more than _slim fit_. It was - stretch.  
You completely saw the shape of his body.  
Shin had all the necessary qualifications – Shin _had a fucking female-like body_ – Shin was mannish only in two places: between his legs and on his chest.  
Shin's skin – that _fucking_ pinky white – like a marshmallow.  
Shin's _lips_ – as full, as big, the same shape of a newborn's lips – made for – _okay, you got it_.  
His chin was perfectly round, like his cheekbones and forehead – he seemed a baby, right, a newborn, whose eyes had been reduced and nose given a shape.  
The 3D hourglass of his hips, back and waist _was the certain proof of God's existence_.  
But Itachi couldn't help thinking that – somewhere, he was _too much_ feminine.  
The shape of his neck and shoulders – the line of his hands – HIS LEGS.  
Legs – you can't mistake the legs _of a man_ for those _of_ _a woman.  
_His legs were those of a woman – even his feet.  
Maybe it was because of his incredibly _childish_ features.  
Maybe it was normal for his people – _they all were like this_.  
Itachi only knew that the first time he noticed it - the first time he followed him when he went to get a nip in a nearby stream.  
Itachi neither had to talk – Shin's wit and perception were more than 100%, as we said, so he _knew_ Itachi followed him, and he let him do – it was okay.  
But he wanted no light, he didn't want to be SEEN - and again _there was _something strange.  
But Itachi was thinking of something completely different – now he was drowned in Shin's neck and thighs – and he didn't quite want to vent from there.  
Naruto didn't know, and Itachi didn't want him to know.  
It was only a sexual thing – _help me pass the time_.  
However Itachi wasn't tactless – we mean he _sensed_, touching.  
He felt the scars – Shin told him that this wasn't his business, and for Shin himself it wasn't a problem.  
"I am not ashamed – what is vital, isn't always humane."

Neji looked in Naruto's conscience and managed even to have a conversation with him – but it was _nighttime_.  
When Itachi and first of all Shin weren't there.  
Neji embraced Naruto, kissed him on the cheek and said "For the grace of God, you're alive".  
Neji's eyes glowed in the darkness of Naruto's mind – the first thing he did after cheering Naruto, was _smelling_ the air and commenting:  
"Lately someone has been often herein. Who's he?"  
Neji couldn't see Naruto's face, from that distance – but he could smell his _fear_.  
"Okay, okay, sorry!  
I don't expect a name, I mustn't even care – it's not for you, but he must be just quite like me…isn't he?"  
"No…he's only really intelligent".  
"Wow…what an envy!"  
'_That's why Naruto is so improved in wit…' _he thought.  
"What about Sasuke?  
Of course I understood…"  
"I'm down with the sickness…He engaged, betrayed me – God – that fraud…"  
"I wasn't witness, but I can get it…I can just – feel its remains".  
Neji didn't do it in Naruto's mind – and Naruto couldn't see him in reality – _licking his lips and gulping_.  
When he cleared his throat, however, he did it also in his mind.  
Naruto didn't notice it and went on talking:  
"He always said only a lot of bullshit to me.  
What you all think he is – it's not a lot of the truth.  
Now they're just parlaying – if you in Konoha don't help Itachi to get back there, Sasuke a time or another will come here – I know.  
I can't accept to be a part of a system such as this!"  
"Saved, you're saved.  
We won't let you become such a slave…out of your will!  
Don't worry, _you are not alone_".  
And he embraced him again, before going away.  
Naruto – didn't – simply – understand.  
Sasuke's instance had been no-go.  
Because it had yielded a trauma – a lot of fog. Naruto couldn't see it clearly.

In Konoha the situation grew heavier.  
The climax was actually unbearable – impossible to breathe.  
Tsunade held her breath, constantly – the Itachi matter could cause a revolution, a golpe or a simple self-disembowelment. _To say!  
_In the end she decided to grasp the nettle and handle herself the situation.  
She called upon her choice spirits: all the best fighters Konoha had, on her side.  
She called upon the same weapons Danzou could use: to not let him sneak in the sewers under her official power – _she did it_.  
She wouldn't let him occupy, conquer those sewers.  
She would patrol them, and being there – she would use them.  
A ninja regular army was there to move in guerrilla warfare.  
The pre-revolution began; ninjas began to catch Danzou's followers and make them disappear, simply.  
No deaths, no murders, no brothel, no_ proofs_ that the war had begun.  
The surprise effect begins with the doubt.  
The war of attrition needs psychological inability to resist – _this means, _DOUBT.  
Moreover, Tsunade had received – from Itachi's group – a note, a very useful note.  
It had been written by Naruto, following Shin's ideas:  
"7 Sins of the Urban Guerrilla – you know who must do what".  
Tsunade was female and controversial, so _she _understood: they must make Danzou mistake.  
They must trigger him to do those sins.  
Like this:  
_Believe that the enemy is more stupid than he really is.  
_Easy...it was simple to make Danzou _believe_ she was stupid, _he already_ believed it.  
Following a stupid's orders is doing stupid things, okay, so Danzou would think that Kakashi (and so on) would mistake.  
But the sense of that sentence wasn't this: the sense was, the enemy _must believe_ that you aren't able to comprehend – to gather information.  
The enemy will leave traces.  
The second part of this sin was:  
_B__elieve that the enemy is stronger than he is_.  
_So, you become unsure and irresolute, paralysed – and you lack audacity._  
That was simple, still – make Danzou believe that Itachi wanted to use the Kyuubi _against him_.  
Then, the second:  
_T__alk, boasting out, of your completed actions, of what you have been able to do_.  
Provoke them – scatter the rumor that Danzou's followers were unable to do a thing.  
They will be triggered and nettled, and react to the instigation - spreading information everywhere.  
Then, the third:  
_C__oncentrate all the actions on the urban ground, leaving the country to the enemy_.  
Literally, she followed it: patrolling gates and periphery around Konoha, she gathered an amount of information about Danzou – and she could block external help.  
Indeed she did – she prevented Orochimaru/Sasuke to come in help of Danzou, to counter Itachi.  
But Danzou couldn't prevent the Sand Country to come in help of Tsunade.  
The fourth:  
_U__ndertake actions that are out of your reach_.  
Of course she wouldn't...care more, however. If this is written here...  
Huh, here was the second part:  
_C__oncentrate all the resources and forces of your organization on a single blow, thus risking everything at once.  
Guerrilla fights in constant, small attacks following the Hide-Hit-Run-Hide system.  
_'System', what a strange word here...and so she did, as the note said.  
The fifth:  
_S__uffer from a nervous berserk, lose hope and resistance_.  
Whatever happened, her followers always got to believe – and so they did – _that THEY WILL WIN.  
_The sixth:  
_A__ttack the enemy when he is most angry – thus, able to counteract.  
_This was simple too: when they attack, run and avoid replying.  
Wait until the water is calm and then _attack them_ back.  
No defence but only attack, on your part – means no _risk of injury_.  
You attack, or you don't fight.  
It is easier to run in a urban setting: _anywhere_ is an escape route.  
Ah, yes: patrol the roofs. Of course...  
The seventh:  
_M__iss planning things and act impetuously_.  
Of course she wouldn't.  
She wondered whether these sins had been described thus to be read by males...  
Danzou's army went on thinning, his defences were breaking down – once or twice Tsunade's men could even directly kill him.  
But Tsunade's wit told her to wait.  
_In fact_ – Danzou believed they wouldn't do it – kill him – and went there to parlay.  
He couldn't even hail Tsunade.  
He was killed before he could open his mouth.  
Kakashi and Jiraya had stroke him altogether – while Neji informed them about a strange _thing about his eye_.  
There was a Mangenkyou – when Neji knew _what was able to do, this Mangenkyou_ – it was called Kotoamatsukami – he cursed himself for having talked.  
It could _convince people to do what you wanted them to do_.  
This was the keyframe, for Neji, to get in alliance with Sasuke – as soon as they could get in contact...  
If only Sasuke was smarter, he could think of convincing Orochimaru to play this scene.  
'_Orochimaru plays dead. _  
_Sasuke acts like he's only himself, he comes back – _no one still knew in Konoha, apart those few people strictly surrounding Naruto, about what he had done_ – he justifies his means with _whatever excuse_ and brings Naruto BACK HOME – his HOME'._  
Using Kotoamatsukami – Sasuke surely knew about it and had developed it in his Mangenkyou – Sasuke could _convince Naruto to do it - once_.  
Using Neji's control over _feelings_ – they could convince Naruto to _WANT IT._ Once and for all.  
Sasuke now needed Neji – and Neji needed Sasuke.  
The first thing to do was taking Naruto away from Itachi – _he was a potential rival, fuck it, if he only wanted to_.  
Danzou's behaviour had plainly certified the truth of Itachi's confession.  
So, _Itachi was a good guy_.  
And Naruto could take their acquaintance more seriously than it should be taken – as for Neji, we mean.  
Neji asked Kakashi:  
"When do we go to see where they are, now that only Orochimaru and Akatsuki are the problem?"  
"...'ONLY'..."  
No, he didn't laugh.

_I want to lay you down on a bed of roses, for tonight i sleep on a bed of nails.  
There's no one here but you and me and that broken old street light – Lock the doors, we'l leave the world outside!_


	11. Prosthetics

Prosthetics:

Neji didn't answer.  
He went on positing assumptions on how much that journey was safe, how they could know a lot about both – Akatsuki and Sasuke/Orochimaru – from Itachi.  
And first of all, _how_ it was necessary to SEE Naruto and ensure that he was alright.  
"Even if we discovered that Itachi wasn't that bastard, that time – now that he's lived with that bunch of killers all of these years, Kakashi – can we really _trust him?  
_Now, believe me, it's better we go and find them as soon as possible".  
"Why didn't you tell me the truth about Sasuke, last time?"  
"…I wanted to make sure about what he did to Naruto.  
I thought I was strong enough to protect Naruto from him, and of course _I knew_ that Sasuke couldn't really harm Naruto, without Orochimaru on his side.  
I wanted to have some lights on this matter – Naruto and Sasuke I mean  
But when I felt Naruto's mind, after they met – I – I _understood_. And now…okay?"  
Kakashi was nodding.  
How couldn't he trust _Neji_?  
And how could he counter a _Hyuuga_?  
They were the most powerful clan in the village.  
And, first of all, he hadn't any bases to do it.  
He was simply feeling that something was wrong.  
He remembered that he _didn't_ feel it, with Sasuke – he only noticed his behavior _after_ the mayhem.  
"We're going there…what's up, Neji?"  
"I just wonder, we _who_? It's me, you, and then?"  
"Jiraya, Guy, Shikamaru, Sakura and a number of other people – including Anbus and even police".  
"Army, police and intelligence?  
What's up?"  
"If we go there – that man who came here and confirmed Itachi's truths – is a member of Akatsuki.  
And he could intercept our messaging.  
So, if he could – even Orochimaru and Sasuke and the Akatsuki can.  
Now, we're not leaving Konoha defenseless – but only because the Sand Country army came here.  
Of course, Gaara is coming with us.  
We could have not only to fight, but to prevent all the others to SEE us or to ATTACK Itachi.  
He's risking everything on us".  
Neji looked him seriously, thoughtful – then looked astray.  
'_I'm risking everything BECAUSE of him, and his motherfucking stupid ideas.  
I'm still here dogging my fox' hind – when I could _be having_ him RIGHT NOW.  
It was so easy for Sasuke…but it could even be easier for me.  
Sasuke pared Naruto's peel off – he's ready to be eaten. Haha…'  
_"Well, when do we leave?"  
They left that same evening.  
Jiraya couldn't wait anymore to see _his_ Naruto; he was worried of course, but – like Kakashi – not because of Itachi.  
Because of Orochimaru – there was a huge risk that _he_ attacked Itachi.  
Their only safety was that continuous hiding.  
There were rumors, in the nearby villages, that Akatsuki was coming to Konoha – they probably believed they were there.  
The same thing that had happened with Sasuke.  
Their squad had been formed to block the Akatsuki and disband it, if possible - too.  
But the primary goal was to find Itachi and Naruto, and tell Itachi about politics' evolution in Konoha.  
Only Jiraya and Kakashi knew it, but their squad had been given the task to _bring them back home _now.  
Right after they left, a second civil war detonated in Konoha.  
The police was motherfuckingly angry with Anbus – because of the mess they had put up years ago, and the slaughter they did.  
They had only started to quarrel– Tsunade told Itachi in panic, afraid that he would try to come there.  
If Itachi had heard about their victory – he could obviously think about it, "come back now and be safe – home".  
But if he did now, he would find a terribly dangerous mayhem – Konoha had divided in clans – you could smell _steel _ in the air.  
Everyone was training and resuming weapon and techniques – Anbus versus police could only be a really awkward conflict.  
As soon as Itachi had her message, he answered:  
"Tell them to shut it all up and never try to raise a finger _in my hometown_ or I'll simply kill the Jinchuuriki and liberate the Kyuubi in Konoha again.  
Be it clear".  
Tsunade directly repeated the message, in public. All Konoha heard – and all Konoha understood. _Alright…  
_The squad didn't know about this exchange of opinions.  
They were lucky: they didn't find the Akatsuki, nor OroSasuke – since they both had thought of different places in which to look for Itachi.  
Or well, OroSasuke had begun from Konoha's surroundings – and of course didn't find him.  
He then tried to use birds and animals to follow his smell and chakra – but didn't find him.  
The only one who could find them, the masked man, already did – and it was his interest to help them.  
To help Itachi keeping Naruto.  
Hiding the Kyuubi – from Orochimaru and even from Akatsuki itself.  
Which he was using to get it – the Kyuubi.  
But this is another story, and we may tell it another time.  
Only once OroSasuke intercepted _Itachi_ – right when he came back, after having spied them.  
Itachi was baffled – that body – it looked both like Orochimaru and Sasuke.  
It was Sasuke's face, but with the other's eyes – and lines under them.ù  
It was Orochimaru's voice, but Sasuke's words.  
It was Orochimaru's behavior, but Sasuke's acting.  
Hopefully Itachi saw him first.  
Sasuke had the Mangenkyou, and while he ran after Itachi he told him a lot of things – Orochimaru insulted him, in their mind, for doing it.  
Sasuke didn't care and told Itachi that: he had developed the Mangenkyou too, killing Kabuto – they had had an affair.  
His Mangenkyou didn't include Amaterasu, but Kotoamatsukami, Tsukuyomi and Susanoo.  
He wanted Naruto – Orochimaru wanted the Kyuubi – it was _better_ that Itachi left him to them.  
Itachi laughed.  
"You little bitch – I had leant over backwards to let you survive, and now I have to do it to _survive to you_?  
Had I known about your will – I would have killed you alone.  
You're so stupid – you think I'm going _home – you think I'm bringing you to Naruto, now_?  
I'm bringing you in the XX Country – they have an open bill with Orochimaru, some shit he made there.  
You know about their army? It's really powerful.  
Ask him"  
Orochimaru replied before Sissy did:  
"NO NO NO NO go back, go back, they'll fucking tear us apart!  
_Go back I said!"  
_He managed to take control over their body – and left Itachi alone.  
Itachi reflected.  
Orochimaru's psychological abilities were not half what they used to be.  
He didn't perceive the direction they were going – he didn't understand that XX Country wasn't there.  
Itachi could only hope that his state was definitive.  
Sasuke never had much wit, we know – and when the enemy is stupid you've already won.  
Codify and decode: this is human mind.  
Codify and decode _what?_ Reality.  
The human being can act, move, perceive and know Reality in another way than through his mind?  
No.  
His mind only works decoding and codifying. Reality can only pass through this.  
If the human being isn't able to do it – can he know Reality? No.  
Stupid ones are unable to defend themselves, and unable to attack.  
They are harmful, since they don't know where they go.  
They are but walking mines.  
Where the intelligent ones live constantly _walking their minds_ – in both senses.

The squad sent Neji and Hinata to look for Itachi.  
Now they knew his chakra – Neji managed to leave Hinata behind and continue alone.  
He wanted to see Naruto – the _two of them alone_.  
Only for a moment – only for a moment, let me breathe him _mine_.  
Luckily Naruto wasn't alone.  
Neji wandered for hours – he _felt _Naruto's chakra, it was really far away – he exchanged constantly messaged with Kakashi, through their _walkie-talkies_.  
He had to tell him his position and situation, and to inform him about everything he knew.  
Then he found Naruto.  
He just _postponed _the communication – _two minutes_ to talk with him.  
Naruto.  
"Hey. We found you. Where's – huh."  
Neji saw Shin.  
He recognized that chakra – the one he had felt in Naruto's mind.  
He had only the time to think this – before Shin quelled his mind.  
A wave of thoughts – X-raying, passing through his ones – decoded, checked and valued every single _term_ in his mind.  
This was the first time Neji knew that the mind is only made of _terms_ of _codes_, and their _meanings.  
_He had always believed that there were also – elements, memories, feelings, dreams – he always believed that there was _something_ in his mind.  
Now he discovered that there wasn't; it was only a bunch of _meanings_.  
Shin laughed.  
He didn't feel what Neji thought – he foresaw it.  
That was how he knew it.  
Anyway, Neji had to work hard on his concentration – to keep it where it should be: Naruto and how to be alone with him.  
Shin's body certainly wasn't a mystery, with _that_ uniform on.  
Neji thought that he was even TOO MUCH perfect.  
He realized that it was impossible to take him, with him _willing to_.  
Shin laughed – Neji's fingers clenched.  
"You". Shin addressed him.  
"You better keep yourself away from _him_. As for me, _it_'s not necessary.  
But keep in mind – leave him.  
You understand what I say.  
Normally it _would_ be impossible, but with him involved…  
You better take a look at your acquaintances, Jinchuuriki".  
Neji didn't reply.  
He was quelled in Shin's mind – he _lost himself_ therein.  
It was too big – too complex – too powerful for him.  
Shin moved him wherever he wanted, and Neji realized that he even controlled his WILL.  
'_How could I rape him? It would be necessary to – DOPE him.  
To switch his mind off – to unplug it from the body.  
Maybe I can work on chakra nodes and – vital points, the neck'.  
_Then, what to do now?  
The two minutes had passed.  
He had to communicate position and Naruto's presence to Kakashi.  
He did.  
Then he walked to Shin – "We have to make a face to face, mind-talking"  
Shin laughed.  
"What for? Let's see…"  
Far too careless.  
Neji couldn't help himself – he'd take him.  
He began to really comprehend Sasuke, now.  
He either couldn't help thinking (but Shin couldn't see it):  
'_Even if you run now, Naruto – I will find you again.  
I decided I want you and now I know I eventually need you.  
Naruto…if you've become so strong in wit, that you can counter me – tougher than I thought – I'll take you forcedly.  
It already happened.  
And I've got time enough to study your link with the Kyuubi – and break it or douse it.  
If you can't be bought and won't change your will following mine – I COULD RACKET HIM.  
The Itachi thing.  
What about, if Konoha knew – haha!  
I'll be with him all the time in Konoha!  
He'll be mine, ah, fuck, he'll be mine!'  
_Shin said: "You come to Itachi, now.  
You surely have to talk to him – and you already understood I'm not good in fighting.  
Make me sure that you won't harass the Jinchuuriki, and I won't tell Itachi about what you think"  
"You will come in Konoha too?"  
"I just need a house.  
However, this will be decided by other people than you. _And stop thinking of me_.  
How could you get me? I move your mind"  
Neji didn't answer. Shin laughed again.  
"You should simply manage to have a normal sexual relationship, dear.  
As for me, I would be awake and active when you decide whether to douse my mind or not.  
Remember this".  
"I only hope you're not here to stay. And then, you said it before.  
And I even need it. _Give it to me"_.  
'_He won't bother me and disturb my work on Naruto_ – _nor help him in defending – if he lets me bother him.  
_And by the way_ that body. Couldn't we keep him - TOO?  
I must see Sasuke…'  
_Shin didn't answer and went on walking.  
Itachi was eating, he had just come back from that meeting with Sasuke.  
"Oh, you arrived! Shin…"  
Shin let his hair down – long to the waist – and took off the uniform, apparently to change it.  
Itachi managed to avoid looking him – _his skin_ – Neji didn't know and stared it, naively.  
It took him some time to understand – luckily he wasn't stupid at all.  
The inclination of the scars – it was evident.  
The difference in their age – three years, two months ago, last week, five years ago.  
It was obvious – _who_ had made them.  
Neji saw that there were – also – not scars – _but wounds_.  
Scratches, for the moment – he had just begun again, for the third time, as it seemed.  
He would step further – go deeper.  
He would go on doing it, and worse – far worse, as time passed.  
Neji knew it, he had read it in a military psychology essay.  
Then – was Shin a military? But he wasn't able to fight.  
Though, his movements…he was like an animal.  
He used perfectly every single muscle of his body.  
He turned on junctures, he used tendons to create _force_.  
This maybe was because of the self-injury – it should have awakened his peripheral nerves.  
Neji didn't give a fuck.  
He was watching Shin, pretending to look at the scars – and keeping an incredibly powerful control over a certain part of his body.  
He realized that – wasn't Shin there – he never could do it.  
Neji was actually exploiting Shin's mind.

Hey".  
Neji called him in loud voice.  
And perhaps it was his tone – or his expression – or maybe his clenching fingers again – or simply _the way he was looking Shin_ – that made Itachi sprang up and burst:  
"HO! You!  
Mind _your_ business! Shin, go away.  
_Go the fuck away_.  
You – dare not harass _my things"_.  
"You think quite like your brother, you know?"  
Itachi answered with a blink of Tsukyiomi.  
Neji saw absurd things moving around him – Itachi didn't even concentrate on what he was doing in it.  
He was too fucking angry – okay, never touch Naruto – _but don't even think of Shin_.  
The same violent, possessive conception that Sasuke had of Naruto – Itachi had of Shin.  
It was his feminine body, it was his child's face – _precious_.  
So precious – _it had to be his_.  
Shin was like a jewel – Shin was like a diamond.  
Shin followed Itachi's order and went back to Naruto.  
The Tsukyiomi ended, Neji nodded, sighed and said:  
"Okay okay I'll survive without it.  
Now, the others are coming – we're here to have look about.  
I saw Naruto and he's alright.  
You are really doing what you said.  
The Akatsuki isn't here around, neither Orochimaru.  
But I don't know more. Anyway, could I sit down? I'm really tired…"  
"Do it. And keep in mind, I watch you.  
Until you're here you'll never leave my side".  
"Dammit, man, I knew it was a mistake!  
I'd never do it!  
These thoughts – he brought it out of me!  
He's like…moreover, you arrived first and I understand – but hasn't he got feelings? _Really_?"  
As Itachi nodded, Neji thought and said:  
"But his mind is actually MORE PRECIOUS than his body".  
"He'd say this is an oath.  
The worth of a human is the piece of matter he is made of.  
His words".  
Neji wasn't listening.  
He said: "Itachi.  
What's up between you and Naruto?"  
Itachi was wordless.  
"What…what for?  
And by the way – how would you be involved?"  
"It's not for me…it's that _I was hoping_…"  
Itachi smiled.  
He and Naruto could maybe think of the hinky hints they had had from Neji – it might have been helpful to hinder – Naruto's new hindrance.

Kakashi arrived first, and when he saw Itachi he couldn't control himself – he ran to him and embraced him, repeating:  
"It's all gone. It's over. You're home."  
Itachi resisted some minutes – then broke down crying.  
Kakashi was eight years older than him – when they were in Anbus, they scarcely saw each other.  
But Itachi, as far as he could, tried to follow him – to consider him as his guiding light.  
Kakashi's ideas – Kakashi's beliefs – Kakashi's behavior.  
Itachi had a father, and he never thought of needing an elder brother.  
But he still needed an alpha male – the _external_ alpha male.  
The best alpha male: the older friend.  
The one you can follow on the right way – and when he deviates and wrongs – you can leave him.  
You're free to be taught the truth – and you're not forced to handle his lies.  
The older friends, who serves to you and doesn't bother you – THIS IS AN ALPHA MALE.  
This _works_ as alpha male.  
This is what every human being wants to do, and needs to do – with the younger ones.  
_Never hurt them_. Always feed them.  
We all need pupils, we all need sons, we all need to protect the younger.  
As Itachi tried to follow him, Kakashi tried to show only _good things_ to Itachi.  
Acting before Itachi meant acting _only right_ – never show him a wrong process.  
Then, Itachi was quelled in the vortex of evil and violence – the cancer of the world dragged him in.  
And Kakashi saw him being dragged by the flow of blood – and _couldn't _help him.  
His lost pupil – he was alive and safe – and sane. And was coming back home.  
When he calmed down, the others were arrived – Itachi dried his eyes while Kakashi held his shoulder.  
"We're going now?"  
Itachi looked Kakashi, baffled.  
"Yes, we're going home now. Back to Konoha".  
Itachi smiled and called Shin – mind-talking.  
Shin came with Kisame and Naruto – they were bewildered from the sight of that enormous squad.  
More than thirty ninjas – many military uniforms – many faces that knew Itachi as a fucking murderer.  
But now – something changed? _Everything had changed_.  
They smiled – some of the elder Anbus came there to him and held his hand, patting his shoulders.  
Kakashi kept his hand on Itachi's right shoulder – he didn't even think of moving it.  
When he saw Itachi shake – shiver and gulp – he looked him in the eyes, patted his head and said:  
"It's alright. Wait and hope, now, you still can.  
I'll think about you now – _relax.  
It's over._ I'm here.  
We're going on".  
Itachi nodded biting his lip.  
Then he turned to look at Naruto – who smiled to him innocently.  
A smile widened on Itachi's face – a contented smile.  
Neji looked them and thought, aware of _not making a single change of expression_.  
The important thing was to avoid showing things to Shin.  
And Shin only saw and foresaw – he didn't feel other ones' minds.  
'_Now that they come in Konoha – Itachi will have Naruto – I COULD FIRST TAKE SHIN.  
It's not difficult.  
Itachi won't look on him, anymore – Itachi will LEAVE HIM ALONE.  
He'll be totally defenseless – and fuck it, I can improve the Byakugan for him too.  
When I looked for Kyuubi things, in Konoha, I also found a lot on my Byakugan'_.  
One of the Anbus, holding Itachi's hands, told him:  
"We were colleagues, and I hope will be again.  
Then you were led astray – it's true, we were enemies – but in truth…  
We were in the dirty trick brigades of two different and opposed powers"  
Kakashi commented:  
"Let's hope that no one tried to play dirty on this Naruto thing…"  
"How can you play Spillikin dirty?" laughed Naruto.  
The Anbu looked him puzzled and asked:  
"How old are you…?"  
Neji went on thinking, meanwhile.  
'_Shin – I'm lucky – he's so weak.  
Physically weak.  
Of course he's anorexic – he's always tired, he has no strength. It will be so easy to drug him.  
A small dose will be enough. One up.  
Let's think about the deuce'.  
_They all moved to go to Konoha.  
Naruto introduced Shin to the others – the Leaf ninjas were displeased, when he said _he wouldn't absolutely take part in any violent conflict between humans_.  
"I've seen enough of it".  
And he didn't want to specify further.


	12. No Life

No Life

Anbu and Police found themselves easily agreeing on this point: it was really a shame that Shin wouldn't serve in the military.  
Shin was the only one of the entire trail to see: THEY WERE TOO MUCH.  
It was simply _impossible_ that their enemies missed to _see_ them.  
They decided to spread in smaller squads and – who could – became invisible.  
Shin walked beside Neji – to keep him under watch.  
Itachi followed Naruto and Kakashi – he couldn't have a moment to breathe – his former colleagues were rapping questions to him, a machine gun of wondering.  
Shin didn't speak, but this doesn't mean that he didn't talk.  
He discussed with Naruto all the time.  
Keeping, meanwhile, Neji's mind busy with a hundred of problems to solve – about things he couldn't escape: he, himself, Sasuke, Naruto – he only let Naruto know one thing more about Neji: _avoid him_.  
"Of course I'm not joking".  
Naruto nodded and went on thinking of all of his friends – and first of all Kakashi.  
Or well, actually it was Kakashi that didn't let hold of him.  
He had repeated the whole time "How are you?" every now and then.  
And every time Naruto answered.  
Yeah – _intelligent_, he was more intelligent – but _quick_, this is another field…  
The squads reunited in front of Konoha's gates.  
Tsunade had been warned of their arrival and was waiting there – she smiled and laughed at Naruto, she welcomed Itachi, she looked at Shin, bewildered, until she realized he was a male and Itachi introduced him to her.  
Tsunade put militaries off service and invited her choice spirits to her office.  
Neji was left out, but not intentionally; she wanted to talk with Naruto and Itachi, and there were important things to solve and manage, about the two of them.  
Neji wasn't simply involved.  
Tsunade's mistake – unwilling mistake – was leaving Shin with him.  
But Shin didn't worry, he followed the militaries, saying:  
"If not for actual conflict, I can still be useful for strategy" laughing.  
"And by the way, do you drink really only Sake?  
I mean, there's a thing called Vodka in our place…where I come from…'tis really _better_ than Sake, you know!  
Do you ever build dance floors here around?"  
"Well, we never thought of…we actually go to cinema or with friends, we never thought of dancing…yeah sometimes there are official balls but – _dance floors_?"  
Shin wasn't listening.  
He had suddenly remembered something.  
An important thing.  
"ARE THERE ONLY PUBLIC BATHS HERE? You don't have private bathrooms – indoor?  
In your own houses?"  
The military, a simple policeman, looked him baffled and answered (following his actions because of the respect you give to a more intelligent person!), unwillingly dubbing Shin:  
"Yes, _sir_.  
We only have public baths.  
I'm sorry – but here in the police station, I mean in the jail section – there are bathrooms that nearly no one ever uses, apart convicted…and now we have none".  
"Thank you. I think I'll use them…"  
"Yes, I heard about this: in your countries – you're from the West, yeah?  
You all have private baths in your homes…it's unconceivable for you to wash yourself in the same water someone else used, yes?"  
"Exactly. How old are you?"  
He wasn't ugly at all, this policeman.  
He had got his _because_ – a lot of _because_.

Neji went to find his friends – he told them everything.  
His cousin was incredibly happy – her beloved man had come home.  
Neji smiled thinking this – there was a particular chemical reaction between Hyuuga blood and Naruto Uzumaki.  
Perhaps it was the Kyuubi.  
Neji didn't know – he only knew that when it came to Naruto, he completely lost control over himself.  
He simply lost control.  
Neji wasn't that bastard – if he could think calmly, he would have chosen to GO AWAY – to stay away from him.  
To leave Naruto in peace, to avoid hurting him – but _something_ had carved his mind – that violence, that willing mayhem he had seen right before him, under his eyes.  
This being _physical_ – of the mayhem – made it be – _normal_.  
Conceivable – therefore acceptable – therefore normal.  
Of course Neji wronged this process – he wronged in computing.  
The process has to be made backwards.  
It is normal, therefore _I should accept it, _therefore _I should conceive it_.  
This means: CHOOSE WHAT TO CONCEIVE.  
Don't accept _anything._  
It must be worth.  
Filter…  
Neji couldn't simply say, now: '_No, it is wrong conceiving it'_.  
It's like – after you did it, you thought: '_No, it is wrong swallowing it'  
_AND NOW?  
It's what Goethe called 'what a human can swallow, but not digest'.  
Neji couldn't digest it.  
The stomachache it yielded made him nervous, and unable to relax and concentrate on his self-control.  
He fucking wanted Naruto. Literally.  
Neither Shin – he was gone to have what he wanted.  
Neji couldn't feel Shin's mind as he wanted, but only as Shin wanted – and Shin didn't want him to feel the addiction he was under.  
But Neji saw this, in Shin's face – the _monkey_.  
The urging.  
Shin had the expression of a snake looking the mouse – of a man looking a naked woman – of a tiger looking a prey – the cold, evil, violent, machine-like face of a demon.  
Demon-like, evil-like, animal-like – and still only and completely human-like; this was Shin.  
Yes, as for his mind – if the others were humans he should be an angel.  
An angel or something like that – but _that's why_ he looked more beastly and – thing-like – machine-like – than humans.  
Humans are to animals what Divinity is to angels.  
Don't ask me why – it is so.  
Compared to angels, humans have a sparkle – a breath of Divinity.  
What we see in God is ourselves, gathered and collapsed.  
Goethe said that what we call God is ourselves turned inside out.  
That look Shin had – Neji knew that _intelligence_ looks like this, on human face.  
'_Is it malice that makes you this way? And what you do then?  
Like a fault – you carry it with you, 'til someone forgives you?  
Who?'  
_But there was something Neji had to fix first.  
Naruto was in danger – of doing it.  
With what Sasuke did – if Naruto didn't fall in love and be together with Itachi – if he was alone again – _and if he, Neji, continued his mayhem_ – couldn't Naruto fall into it?  
So – Neji's problem was: WHY do you do it?  
How could he prevent Naruto from wanting it?  
You fix what – this way?  
The feelings – the questions? The price is too human, _for fucking sake_!  
It will be enough for Naruto to have pity of himself!  
But how could he – but…moving Itachi!  
_He could_!  
Let's learn how to – _use Itachi's Mangenkyou _on his same mind and – force him…  
Force him to create pity in Naruto's mind.  
Neji couldn't directly touch Naruto – Shin wouldn't let him act on his mind.  
But he would let Itachi do it – Shin didn't know enough about their eyes.  
Or well – Neji hoped.  
Neji hoped – that Shin wouldn't simply understand – it.  
Whatever.

Naruto told Tsunade everything. But not about Itachi.  
He couldn't help – he felt ashamed.  
He couldn't simply tell Kakashi that from sunset to dawn his trauma had evanished, and he hadn't any problem in considering Itachi – as he would never conceive Sasuke, but this wasn't a problem to Kakashi.  
And moreover – Naruto had other reasons to keep it covert.  
Firstly, their affair was still completely hypothetical/platonic (as you may call it).  
Secondly, Sasuke MUSTN'T know.  
This would trigger him badly again, and Naruto knew that – from 'quarreling with Orochimaru' and 'convincing Orochimaru' there was only a slip, for Sasuke.  
Itachi told them about the things he knew on OroSasuke, the control thing and Orochimaru's stupidity.  
When they had discussed of everything necessary, Tsunade left Naruto go, but kept the others with her..  
The grown-ups should manage to handle another pair of things, mainly related with Naruto/Kyuubi/Akatsuki and Naruto/Sasuke.  
They had decided to leave him out of it – Tsunade had also decided to leave Naruto out of missions, for the moment.  
They wished he simply relaxed, he had to; this Sasuke thing had risked to fuck up his whole life.  
Naruto didn't know where to go, and wandered through the city centre until he found his friends.  
Neji disappeared all of a sudden, hid somewhere thereby and fired Byakugan on him.  
He saw his thoughts leaking out of his trauma – incredible: three years and the wound was still bleeding.  
Naruto was really sensitive…  
Neji smiled, unwillingly, and moaned.  
But he clearly saw also that Naruto's mind was in its spring: winter had begun to fade, Naruto was forgetting Sasuke.  
Neji understood that if he had to spring a leak, he had to do it _now_.  
The more he left him in peace, the more Naruto would recover, the more he would be strong.  
_'Act like Sasuke, follow Sasuke, copy Sasuke._  
_His Sasuke._  
_The good one._  
_Actually – I could easily say that Naruto always was in love with him – okay I know this isn't true – but anyone else would, in Naruto's place._  
_Then, how to tell it? _  
_Wants it or not, Naruto is Sasuke's business._  
_Beside taking my chance on him – I should help Sasuke take him back'._  
Neji had few time to study the Kyuubi – he had to make Naruto – defenseless.  
Helpless – without a change.  
Heroin was a good idea, but it would be difficult to use it now, after Sasuke did.  
If only Sasuke was here, it would be so much easier.  
Naruto didn't notice his behavior, those days, but Neji was always strutting around him.  
Following him, watching him, talking with him – interrupting anyone else, intervening in any discussion, interfering even between him and Kakashi.  
And constantly, lightly and then more and more heavily _touching him_.  
Once or twice, in four days, he actually kept him in his arms – lying on him – for _hours_.  
If someone had known about Sasuke – someone would stop him.  
Neji calmly called it friendship – in front of anyone, and especially girls.  
Friendship, friendship – even if, twice or thrice, he actually dipped his nose in Naruto's hair and sniffed his smell – as cocaine.  
On the fourth day's evening, they were in Naruto's home, alone – Neji used the pretest of playing cards.  
And heroin.  
A small dose, or well: a dose in an entire liter of milk, that Naruto took two hours to drink.  
Around ten o'clock he began to feel his head evaporating and wondered about it: Neji told him that it was "a viral temperature that kept many ninjas ill in last weeks".  
And Naruto believed it. Why shouldn't he believe Neji?  
He yawned.  
Neji kissed him, exploiting his opening the mouth.  
Naruto looked him and decided to slap him – _but his body wouldn't answer.  
_His body – he felt it MELTING – what the fuck was that?  
His stomach and liver began to hurt in an incredible way – yes, it was only – the milk had expired.  
And he even knew – he had drunk it the same, since he always did and never got hurt – but the strange taste he felt – he didn't recognize it…nor did he clearly remember heroin's taste.  
When he realized he couldn't fight – he called upon the Kyuubi.  
As soon as Neji saw the Kyuubi collecting his chakra, to attack, on Naruto's skin – as soon as he saw Naruto's face changing – he replied.  
He replied beating him up, violently, breaking his right forearm and hitting his stomach and chest until Naruto, instead of breathing, hissed soundly – sobbing.  
Neji realized that he had to wait.  
The complete action had to be taken afterwards; he could only begin to smart in Naruto's mind and _convince_ him.  
But he went on, that evening – petting has always been difficult to present as sexual aggression.  
When Naruto regained completely conscience – realizing that Neji _hadn't done it_ – he sighed.  
Neji laughed.  
"I know what Sasuke did. I only think I can play the deuce. What for - ?"  
"NO."  
"You and Itachi. What about making it public?"  
"No, two".  
"Right answer. No. 2" he said, laughing.  
Naruto shivered and held his breath.  
He felt his lungs panging – contracting violently.  
Neji went on talking, kissing his neck, holding his nape, face and head with both hands:  
"I'll wait.  
I won't – _you_'ll want it.  
Naruto…let me do it.  
I can move your will – thus it would be _so much_ easier.  
Keep Shin out of it – keep him out and come to me.  
You know what I can use against you – apart from telling anyone of them about Sasuke.  
And whoever could think of it, Naruto, then – _will think_.  
I don't want anything else than THAT.  
You can do whatever you want in your life, I don't care. It's enough to me, to have you…"  
He _was_ lying.  
He had decided to bring Naruto to Sasuke – and then see what he could give him in exchange.  
Naruto was there to say no.  
Only, he couldn't articulate – he could only shake his head, and Neji's reply was hitting him again in the stomach, bring his head before Naruto's one and looking him straight in the eyes saying:  
"_If – Konoha – knew – of – Itachi.  
_If the whole Konoha knew of Itachi – you understand?  
You may think it's possible for you to come out and live quietly together.  
But picture – the sound civil war we just witnessed.  
You are in corner, Naruto.  
This heavy trick would weight on the balance – and we don't know _where_.  
It is really dangerous, you understand?  
I'm not using that kind of violence.  
Your unconsciousness – partially – is welcome.  
You only have to feel – to sense.  
I don't care about your picturing the meaning of what happens.  
To me, it's enough that your body is awake – I don't care about your mind.  
I can easily douse it. Is it ok?"  
Naruto didn't answer.  
Neji didn't leave him the time.  
He went on necking him, and Naruto went on suffering, but beside the pang – there was something else.  
There was hate.  
The one thing he couldn't feel for Sasuke – but Neji got it all.

Neji slept there, and the next day they woke up and went out separately.  
Naruto went first of all to the baths, and found some people there.  
He wondered about his physical state – he couldn't even remember if he had been wounded.  
He remember the hitting but – his healing?  
He checked his body and didn't find wounds.  
His right forearm was aching – maybe it couldn't heal by himself.  
But he couldn't bring it out, publicly, going to the hospital…  
For the moment he simply went to take a bath.  
Itachi was in mission – covertly, with another face and another name (since Akatsuki had put a reward on his head).  
Neji left him alone for less than an hour, then came back to him.  
He practically lived beside Naruto – he was _always_ with him.  
He disappeared only when Shin showed up, but usually it was Naruto to go to the police station – where Shin lived.  
Shin saw him wasted – but Shin had himself to think of.  
His addiction brought him deeper and deeper, and would soon reach the abyss' ground, for the third time in his life.  
Shin wasn't simply caring anymore for others.  
He had become a machine – a complete machine.  
Only his body was human.  
Naruto didn't feel pain – didn't feel to be abandoned, forgotten, forsaken.  
He felt an incredible amount of pity – utter pity.  
He couldn't do anything – nor help him in any way.  
Naruto didn't love him – so, Shin's habit didn't pierce his heart and kill his self-esteem.  
That's what happens to the ones who love a self-injurer.  
That's why self-injurers try to avoid getting in love, when they do – but even they, they fall – they crumble – without someone else.  
They try, and it's SO difficult.  
I actually don't know if anyone made it, but probability answers "Yes".  
Let's hope.  
Of course staying clean is the first requisite to respect your lover.  
Shin _didn't want_ to fall in love.  
This was quite clear.  
'_Fancy is dead and drunken at its goal'_ he thought in Naruto's mind, laughing.  
Moreover – he was so fucking machine-like cold.  
More lifeless than cold.  
He laughed, in Naruto's mind, for five minutes long.  
'_You laugh 'cause there's nothing to say…'_ comprehended and commented Naruto.  
Naruto couldn't simply love such a thing.  
He was more a thing than a human.  
Naruto avoided letting him know of Neji.  
There was a personal reason: Naruto felt that the last thing Shin needed was _to think of someone else_.  
He had always thought of it: like Gaara, Shin had always been alone.  
But Gaara had had peers; like him, equals, on his par.  
Shin didn't.  
Shin had evidently always been the only person with his psychological abilities –HE HAD EVER KNOWN.  
His only peer had always been himself.  
Shin – WAS – alone.  
This meant – alone.  
Moreover, there was something whose reason Naruto couldn't understand, nor picture.  
Shin was this thing.  
Shin looked like a fetus. A fetus without uterus – lain directly on things – but alive – and surviving.

Naruto went home, depressed.  
He found Neji there, of course – it took him three hours to make him stop harassing.  
Luckily Shikamaru came there to call him, Naruto: Kakashi was looking for him to warn him about Tsunade's decision.  
Naruto couldn't leave Konoha, Naruto couldn't be engaged in missions, Naruto couldn't EVEN train.  
Naruto had to be seen around on a daily basis, and daily he should report about his health.  
Kakashi had of course been appointed to his defense; the Hokage's advice was that they _actually _lived together.  
Neji fell in panic – and in anger. But he couldn't do a thing, and moreover: it suited him to avoid acting strangely.  
He smiled and said: "This is perfect".  
Naruto looked him bewildered – Neji went on:  
"You should go around, _but never alone – _right?" he said, watching first Naruto and then Shikamaru.  
"Right" answered the latter.  
Shikamaru wasn't stupid, you all know.  
He noticed – he felt.  
'_You can't begin to consider the palpable hate in the air when you're here'_ he thought.  
How couldn't he notice – in the previous days – Naruto…  
OKAY – Neji was acting really strangely – _all_ _his_ _being_ _physical_ on and with Naruto…  
But NARUTO was acting even more strangely: the spite you could see in his eyes when he looked Neji – and his face, without an expression.  
It was hate – palpable hate – the hate of who can't react.  
The repressed, covert hate – known by the hated and the hater, but still kept mute.  
When Shikamaru left, Neji tried to take Naruto on his side again – to convince him to accept _him_.  
He smiled confidently saying:  
"You've always been a loser.  
Now you began to gather acquaintances – but you know, I can be a road to anything.  
Moreover, you wanted to become Hokage – and, as psychologically strong as you're becoming, this is really a wonderful prospect.  
The niff of a no-hoper, as you were – I can replace it with a nifty, net – _meaty_" he said it compulsively "yield."  
"This is well nigh a never-never, Neji.  
I won't let you _change me_.  
And please – don't compare me to food.  
You two – you already look so much like animals.  
You won't leave me alone – I understood what you meant, before.  
You'll get me out of home.  
Okay, but this will mean – can we still have…do you _still want…?"  
_"Of course I want.  
_You, _I want.  
There's my home, and _my room_.  
Now let me do this thing, once for all".  
Neji leapt in his mind – Naruto nictated while he moved things around and changed shape to constituents – melting and freezing.  
That was the terrible thing of their relationship.  
His breath and eyes, for Naruto, weren't even those of the beast – as it was with Sasuke.  
This – ice, snow and cutting wind, this was what he felt in his mind – this sleet on the face was the worst thing he saw of him.  
That same evening Neji tried to get him, Naruto couldn't stand it and reacted, again.  
Physically and psychologically, Neji simply beat the pants off him.  
Their relationship outgrew to mayhem, that night.  
Neji hardly let him walk around – he always ended up bringing him home, Hyuuga's home.  
Actually Naruto preferred to be at home – Neji didn't give a fuck about their privacy.  
Instead, he thought that _anyone_ should know they were together – WILLINGLY – both.  
Of course – was it only for Itachi, _his_ Itachi's sake – Naruto didn't want.  
Naruto was just afraid that somebody, a time or another, saw them necking.  
Neji wasn't so interested in his opinion – nor permission.  
He often nicked him – even in open places – and began to nip him.  
Then Naruto would began to refuse him, and Neji was forced to bring him home – what Naruto wanted.  
What he didn't want was what Neji did right after it.  
The first problem was his continuously harassing and stalking him.  
The second problem was that _it was never enough,_ to Neji.  
He never stopped, 'til he had Naruto at hand.  
Quickly nipping into his privacy, then sleeping half an hour – while Naruto niched sobbing – and then, Neji woke up and resumed the loop.  
The third problem was his violence.  
He often beat Naruto.  
He aggressively talked to him, touched him and treated him – like a fucking prey. What Naruto couldn't BEAR.  
'_This is NO KIND OF LIFE!'  
_

And Naruto's friends couldn't miss to see it.  
Anyone say Naruto becoming leaner and weaker in those weeks.  
None of them wondered what weather he was under, he was making it perfectly clear!  
Especially when he and Neji quarreled for the first time.  
Neji was heard shouting in his room, and Naruto answering:  
"Couldn't you act more normal, at least?  
Leastways – Neji – stop mauling me!  
You're all reality and sound bites - when you fuck up my mind so that I don't react – couldn't you _get me out_ of reality?  
It's me who ask you!  
You're telling me that you can't concentrate that much while you…but…but…haven't you any pity?  
At least try to help me – God – with what you're doing…but you two, ARE YOU TWO HUMANS?  
Can't you slash that motherfucking sleet in my eyes, when you put me back against the wall?"  
Neji didn't answered, but mauled him again.  
Of course this time _someone understood_ – also because Naruto managed to flee, before Neji – forcedly – healed his wounds.  
He ran home, to Kakashi – he saw the wounds – he fainted.

Neji justified himself blaming Naruto – "He's such a dim bulb – I'm trying to get him to normal life again but it's not so easy".  
No one of the others thought of it, neither Jiraya.  
Sasuke's instance had been no go.  
They could maybe think of the hinky hints Neji had given them – it could have been helpful to hinder – his new hindrance.  
It was true: it was evident that Naruto was in a bad nick.  
But no one, neither Shin, felt that kind of sorrow in his mind.  
Naruto was so strong – so brave – he didn't mumble on pain, he at once coped with it and solved it.  
The animal's – no – the survivor's instinct.  
Shin's same instinct.  
Shikamaru only had felt that HATE – perfect, powerful, complete HATE Naruto felt.

When Kakashi fainted, Naruto realized that Neji would soon come there to take him – he ran out of the house to look for Jiraya.  
But he first found Shikamaru – and it came to him to tell him:  
"Go to the police and say that Naruto says: Hyuuga Neji, I discarded the deuce".  
Then he ran past him, found Jiraya and brought him by Kakashi – while they walked he told him everything.

Neji wasn't there – he couldn't come – since another person meddled in their business.  
In that same moment, this one was interrogating Neji – totally fucking angry and in suspect.  
This person was Lee.

Shikamaru arrived at the police station – and met Shin.  
They had already met – but then Shin didn't have the certainty of Shikamaru's being trustable, and avoided showing him his mind.  
This time his mind was completely awake – he had reached the bottom of the abyss, with self-injury.  
Shikamaru looked and, in spite of himself, said:  
"What is this and what are you?"  
Shin laughed, walked to him and touched his forehead.  
"Who are you and what is this?"  
"Not a senseless, trance thing – but a divine melodious truth – philosophic numbers smooth. My dear, 'tis the sound of a human mind".  
"Okay, but what is this power?" Shikamaru was holding his breath.  
"…'Tis this silvery bill ever curses the good man's ill…" and he laughed again.

Neji and Lee were still jarring.  
The bastard ended up telling the good one:  
"I won't net a lesson from a nescient. Don't meddle in what I do – _don't tell me what's right_"  
Lee slapped him and shouted, on his face:  
"COME OFF YOUR PERCH!"

Jiraya found Kakashi on the ground, healed him and brought him back to conscience.  
The first thing he said to him was:  
"Kakashi, I know how to solve this shit. Listen-"

_Well I'm so far away – that every step that I take is on my way home_


	13. Diluted

Diluted:

"Would you just wait 'til he recovers a little? It was _infarction_, I guess…"  
"Nope, only nervous breakdown…don't worry.  
Now, we'll see what we can do against _him_".  
Naruto remained silent for few minutes, then said, sadly:  
I want Itachi. Where's him?"  
iraya turned to look at him: "Why Itachi?"  
"I WANT ITACHI! Where's him?"  
Kakashi intervened:  
"No one of us knows, Naruto, only the Anbus – maybe. What's up with him, now?  
We have to think of that bastard – you"  
"Forget today, forget whatever happened. There's no good in it.  
You can't do a thing against Ne-"  
"We can, we can't – no matter. NOW – you have to understand – Naruto" replied Jiraya.  
"There is an important thing on information, on you, you understand – you are the Kyuubi – you are interesting for many people out there – Naruto…what's up  
with Itachi?"  
"What's the problem now, then?  
I've lived with him for weeks – now it's a problem I want to talk with him?"  
'_Shut it up, shut it up, shut it up – cover Itachi, protect him…that Hyuuga bastard!'  
_He continued, inventing:  
"It's only that I want to ask him something about – Sasuke!  
I think there's something – strange – in this plague…first Sasuke, then Neji!  
There _is_ something strange, or not?"  
"_I_ know, there's no need of asking Itachi.  
There is a combination of – call it – well, _genes_ – I mean, Kyuubi and Uzumaki gen-"  
"HUH, Uzumaki, ah?" said Naruto, spiteful.  
"Not Namikaze.  
Uzumaki.  
And no involving Sasuke herein, yes?  
Maybe.  
Why the fuck has Itachi been the ONLY ONE to tell me – _you all knew – _you knew?"  
Jiraya looked him baffled.  
"…I…I.  
Naruto…the agreement was…it was _your father_ to ask us to not tell you – _but how did Itachi know_?" he asked Kakashi, in the end.  
"Uchiha, probably.  
They knew a lot of things, as police clan.  
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT, actually, but probably this happened.  
Now, what the fuck?" he ended, looking Naruto.  
"What?  
I'm fourth Hokage's son.  
Sasuke has been meddled with his cells. Itachi knows.  
I WANT TO KNOW – I also thought of the Kyuubi.  
You said Uzumaki genes?"  
Jiraya reflected a bit – about _what to tell him_ and _what not_.  
'_This could degrade the situation.  
Telling him this – Naruto's self-esteem could definitively evanish.  
Look at him now – he's so thin, so tired, so depressed, so moped.  
Every day I see a little more of overall deficiencies.  
What the hell – fuck it – the only way is _telling him_.  
He has to know – my boy has to know'.  
_"You know my books?  
Well, first of all, I trained your father.  
Later he read one of my books – the main character had your name.  
So he decided to call you that.  
Then, about Sasuke I didn't know.  
What I was trying to tell you is – _what is happening_ – I mean, their wrong – interest…is yielded by Uzumaki genes _and_ the Kyuubi.  
Bijuu's power attracts humans – this yields their possessiveness.  
Then, put there the Uzumaki's – fashion – beauty – preciousness.  
It's something like – that guy you brought here, the white-haired one – the same.  
Like jewels – it is often said that red-haired people, like you, are actually albino humans.  
White people yield white-haired albinos, black people yield red-haired albinos.  
They could be called diamonds – the sages always told us that _it's better that they don't know they are actually different_.  
They have to be kept at bay – they usually live a shitty life, a no-life.  
They are wasted by the torture of – withholding themselves – restraining and constraining themselves.  
The others can't be able to stand them – like _you_.  
You mustn't consider the others as your peers – you mustn't consider yourself as _more than them_.  
This is actually a races war.  
The weaker race is trying to survive, letting the other do it too.  
_This is right_.  
In fact – many a – _supreme_ – knew it and they always – _helped.  
_Only one of them, but not here, tried to erase the weaker race – but the others like him, _they_ stopped him.  
The strongest are protecting the weaker ones, and the weakest are loving the stronger ones.  
Only we humans do it.  
They are _supreme_ –since their being better, actually, is called _supremacy_.  
And you can easily see by yourself that…the weaker ones…_want_ the supreme.  
_They want it.  
_They want to be together with _the best living being – the best being existing.  
_Loved by the supreme, beloved, adored by the supreme.  
They want to haunt the supreme one – and they do – with their fragility.  
Their being incredibly fragile – that's how supreme ones call us…  
They say they're complex, but not delicate – we are simply, but incredibly fragile.  
They say we are the two ingredients – we _must merge_ – we must mix – to give, to yield _later_ the next step of human race.  
They say that…then, you understand.  
You – _supreme_ ones – you are the ones who can house a Demon.  
Orochimaru is like you – and many others.  
Your mother was – the Uzumaki, your surname.  
_YOU ALSO HAVE THE KYUUBI_ – you're so precious, so attracting.  
That's why, Naruto.  
You wanted to ask Itachi, I understand…since no one, apart him, ever told you the truth.  
The first problem of you _supreme_…the truth…"

"Stop calling me – _that_.  
Is Itachi so – like me?"  
"…Nigh.  
The rate of _supremes_ given by Uchiha blood is one on five generations.  
We think Madara was, the one who fought the first Hokage. Itachi maybe is – why? Is it-"  
"Nothing…"  
He sat down, crossing his legs and holding his feet with hands.  
He thought, silent:  
'_I can stare into a thousand eyes and see comprehension, now, affection – NORMALITY – but every smile hides – and has always hidden – a bold faced lie.  
I understand – there was the problem.  
I felt it, I always felt it and kept it under control – and I always also felt that _the other ones_ didn't – they didn't have to do it.  
It itches, it seethes, it festers and breathes…  
It was this…'  
_He asked, standing up:  
"Is self-injury closely related to supreme ones?"  
Kakashi sprang up leaping on his feet and grabbed his shoulders, in panic:  
"WHAT?"  
Jiraya grabbed one of his shoulders, turn him to face him in an even worse panic and shouted:  
"WHY?"  
"…Whew…you, I see you _care for me_…" he laughed, contented.  
He grabbed their two hands on his shoulders and said, looking out of the window:  
"Shin is…NOT ME…I only wanted to know…  
I must be aware…"  
Altogether, Kakashi and Jiraya dropped the hands to grab their own faces and sigh:  
"WHEW!"  
Naruto looked alternatively the two of them and laughed lightly again.  
"Poor him.  
He's also _so intelligent_.  
He told me he's never had heroes – guides – teachers – alpha males…peers.  
He said – _like Itachi did_ – that his heroes are dead, and they died in his head.  
You mean, that's why everyone thought I should leave hold of Sasuke.  
All I ever wanted out of him was something he could never be…  
And now take a real good look at what he's fucking done to me!  
AND IT'S ALL ABOUT GENES!  
It gives it's me, the trigger, then!  
What the hell – did I – do to deserve – all of this?  
Fuck that bastard, Neji, shit!  
Something inside me has opened again – like a knife in the shell – like a finger in the plague.  
You say you know how to fix it?To stop him – to kill him?"

Rock Lee had just asked the other ones there to stop Neji and hold him down, while went on slapping him – a shrapnel of slaps.  
"You – kind of animal – WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU DONE?  
Think you're so cool – so – _arrogant_"  
Neji tried to talk – it was even difficult to take breath:  
"Lee…ee..fuck it…listen…shit…it's-"  
He managed to pull the head back, out of his reach, and ended:  
"IT'S MY FUCKING BUSINESS AND HIS!  
Don't meddle!  
Who the fuck are you to get involved?  
WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT BY HIM?"  
Lee head-butted him, once, then twice, then thrice – then someone stopped him.  
"You're like…_deceiver_…all of this time _you showed me a good face_ and now you end up insulting me LIKE THIS and you – what the fuck did you do to Naruto?  
It's the same thing as Sasuke?  
The hell are you thinking of about that demon?  
WON'T YOU SIMPLY LET HIM LIVE IN PEACE?"  
Neji smiled.  
And then the entire crowd – now there were some fifteen people, all teenagers – was left puzzled, paralyzed and looking at a given point.  
Hinata.  
Hinata had walked suddenly to Neji and slapped him, violently – then she had grabbed his face, by the chin, and right now she was bumping it on the wall behind him.  
She was crying – sobbing – she couldn't talk – then she – OH MY GOD.  
Hinata?  
HINATA?  
She had kicked him right in the face.  
She pulled him to stand up straight, and – KNEE IN BOLLOCKS – Hinata?  
Then she punched him, in the face, again, and knelt down screaming – hands on her face.  
Lee ran there, held her in his arms, kneeling down too – Neji, instead, took the chance – he tried to.  
He wanted to run away, but he couldn't – balls hurt.  
Hinata shouted:  
"KILL HIM! Neji – YOU – LEE – kill him!"  
Lee looked her, bewildered – then – without thinking nor understanding it – leapt on Neji and began to hit him, continuously.

Shikamaru reached Naruto's home – as soon as he entered, he was told to LOOK FOR NEJI AND BRING HIM THERE.  
"We don't know a thing of what's happened.  
It's something completely different. It's a Sasuke-related thing. Okay?"  
Shikamaru _understood._ Play – a – game.  
"Yes. I go"  
He arrived there – right in the moment – the others had stopped Lee again, and someone was even helping Neji to stand up.  
Shikamaru pushed this someone aside, looked Neji straight in the eyes and said:  
"Jiraya wants you. It's an important thing. It seems they need you to kill Sasuke. Go now…"  
Neji went, limping.  
As soon as he was far enough, Lee asked Hinata what did she see in his mind.  
She crumbled in his arms repeating "Naruto" and sobbing.  
They talked whispering for some minutes, 'til Lee pushed her out of his arms shouting – roaring:  
"WHAT? WHAT! AARGH! NARUTO! ...I kill him!  
Holy shit – I'm killing him!"  
He continued to shout, while he ran – he too – to find him.  
When he arrived in Naruto's house, Jiraya had just finished explaining Neji his plan.  
He turned to look at Lee – totally fucking angry, covertly – and found him totally fucking angry, overtly, and pointing Neji.  
"Wait, wait, Rock Lee.  
I DON'T KNOW what he's done to you, but now we need him to get at Sasuke.  
Neji, come with me, and you – Rock Lee, won't you let us pass?"  
Lee looked right in Neji's eyes, gaping.  
His rage was getting out of control – he ran to him, shooting his body on him and throwing him on the wall – being careful _to not touch him with hands_.  
Neji hit heavily the wall and crumbled on ground, helpless.  
Lee kicked his face.  
"YOU DIRTY DOG!  
I don't give a fuck about your clan!  
WHOEVER YOU ARE!  
I don't need you – I'm not keeping you – I WILL FUCKING DISATOMIZE YOU you ANIMAL!  
I don't need to appease you!  
_Gimme any reason why I'd need you!  
_GIMME ANY REASON NOT TO FUCK YOU UP!"  
Jiraya answered for Neji – who moreover wasn't properly able to do it, then.  
Lee was badly mauling him.  
"He must kill Sasuke, that's why.  
We need him, Lee.  
He's the one who can kill Orochimaru.  
I found a prophecy, right?  
It's the second-line Hyuuga who will kill him.  
So – let him survive…"  
"I only want to squeeze out of him the pain he caused" he turned to look at Naruto, then Jiraya "YOU DON'T KNOW?"  
Naruto walked to him and – he didn't embrace him – he _leaned on him_.  
Psychologically and physiologically.  
Lee turned to Neji and said:  
"In the end _it will_ turn out that you are _the same as_ Sasuke – A NO-GOOD".  
Naruto looked Neji hatefully:  
"You said it? Are you fucking gone out of your head?  
We had agreed-"  
"No, I didn't!  
Shit – Jiraya – better I leave now, huh?  
As for you, Naruto…hide in your Lee, as soon _as he's around_" he ended, menacingly.  
"I'll shoot that basket, little" said Lee, to Naruto, unwillingly dubbing him so – and looking Neji leeringly.  
Neji went away, escorted by Jiraya.  
Naruto sat on his bed, sighing.  
"Whew…Luckily, _it's all ended – _again".  
Lee knelt down before him, holding Naruto's head and hiding it in his chest.  
"Kakashi.  
I must be able to fight again".  
Kakashi looked him silently, then said:  
"We'll do whatever we can.  
But Neji won't come back alive, don't worry. As for him, he's gone".  
"But that prophecy…" began Lee, baffled.  
"What fucking prophecy?" laughed Kakashi.  
Lee looked him, smiled and held Naruto.  
Naruto sighed again, closed his eyes and rested the head on Lee.  
Harmless – strong, secure and harmless; Lee – could he eventually be what you call a fellow?  
"Where the fuck is Itachi?" asked Kakashi, to the void before him.  
Then Shikamaru and the others entered the room.  
Hinata ran to Naruto – he took some minutes to understand what happened.  
"Oh, right…I got it.  
Logical.  
You're still worrying that much for me…"  
'_How to tell her, too? Itachi…this is getting more than difficult – it's motherfucking impossible!'  
_But now he really had other things to think of.

Jiraya escorted, alone, Neji.  
They still had to _find_ Orochimaru, but with Neji's Byakugan they WOULD.  
It took some weeks, in truth.  
They avoided talking, the whole time.  
Jiraya always said he was tired and thinking of his new book or something else.  
Neji didn't _want to talk_. He was concentrating – preparing his speech with Sasuke.  
When they eventually found – _Oro_Sasuke, actually – Jiraya did what Itachi had done with his brother.  
He simply made a toad reversely evoke him – and DISAPPEARED.  
He thought that Sasuke would kill him, right in the moment, since – Neji had taken his own precious spoil.  
Sasuke indeed wanted to do it, but there were few differences between reality and what Jiraya predicted:  
Neji _didn't tell_ Sasuke that he had already done it, nor did Sasuke know.  
Orochimaru was only able to stutter some intelligent things – he looked like he had Alzheimer.  
Neji told Sasuke that he _wanted Naruto, just few times and stop.  
_Just to try. He would be Sasuke's own, he would be Sasuke's thing.  
Neji thought that Naruto had to be his one; he would do whatever he could to help Sasuke take him back.  
Sasuke believed it.  
He never had that much wit, we know. A cunt is a cunt, not a brain.  
Orochimaru couldn't help him.  
Neji posited that he – Orochimaru – could actually be used as a weapon.  
But he understood one thing – it was better that he didn't name Naruto too often.  
Sasuke was nettled when he simply heard that name pronounced by _another voice than his own one_.  
"I left something useful in his brain – thoughts of you and me, exemplified.  
I simply denied a lot of little flaws we have in his eyes.  
I was thinking of something in particular, then you'll tell me…listen.  
How about – disbud him?"  
Sasuke took some minutes to understand the logical association therein, and then could answer:  
"You mean _castrate _him?  
Not bad, surely.  
But I only wished…you know, _if he likes_, it's so much better for the both of us. Isn't it?" he said, bastardly smiling.  
Neji nodded, smiling contentedly.  
Neji was left in a fucking corner now.  
There was no expecting reliability from Sasuke – but evil heads are nettle graspers, so he did it the same.  
"But you understand – taking him now is so much difficult.  
Actually we could only make Konoha believe that Akatsuki killed him.  
To raven him this way – he must be perfectly and exclusively under our CONTROL.  
We'll impair his life – thus he will never want to leave us.  
He'll never have anything out of it…we could actually make him believe that we razed Konoha.  
Ain't you got the Tsukuyomi?"  
Sasuke smiled.  
"Kotoamatsukami is much better.  
_I'll convince him – I'll tell him that he has been castrated_.  
And then, that Konoha is destroyed and we killed the Kyuubi.  
_I'll convince him_.  
It will be so easy, with Kotoamatsukami – he won't be able to defend himself…"  
"Dun. Then – when do we attack?"  
They put down a plan.  
Every now and then Sasuke laughed, bastardly, saying:  
"A dimunition…"  
Orochimaru didn't actually understand a word of what they had said – but he liked this joke he had picked up in Sasuke's mind.  
He continued to repeat it – and it made Sasuke laugh, continuously.

In Konoha, Neji was disbarred from Shinobi.  
They didn't know if he had been killed – they didn't know until some patrols met the three of them - around Konoha.  
Sasuke, Orochimaru, Neji – together.  
The Panoply of Bastards.

_Should I? Could I? Have said the wrong things right a thousand times – if I could turn back time, I see it in my mind – you'd still be mine!  
If this old heart could talk, it'd say you're the one…_


	14. Only One

Only one

Those patrols came back home and reported directly, claiming emergency state, to Tsunade.  
Who of course thought that the only way to save Naruto now was to establish a general emergency state throughout Konoha and surroundings.  
As soon as it was declared – the Sand Shinobi, who actually never left their allies, joined them also in patrol and check-in at gates.  
They helped police, Anbus and regular army – moreover, other countries came to help Konoha.  
It was actually a two-sided world war – every existing army was on field.  
It was what _we_ define a world war.  
Many countries wanted to keep their neutrality – they simply didn't give a fuck about Naruto Uzumaki or the Kyuubi, or they simply didn't have time to think of this.  
For instance, Orochimaru's village itself had to look over an individual war at its gates – against the Akatsuki.  
Those weirdos thought of blocking him before he got the Kyuubi – the masked man had come back to his old peers, and he thought it was a beautiful thing to find a common enemy.  
Moreover, Sasuke was dangerous – he actually wanted to erase the Kyuubi to act freely on his spoil.  
The masked man knew it was too difficult to convince him – _give me the Kyuubi and I'll give you the Jinchuuriki_.  
Sasuke wasn't that intelligent, he could easily mistake it for a deceit.  
Orochimaru wasn't really able to think anymore, and he would talk the same – giving Sasuke wrong advices.  
Those two – it was nearly incredible that they wouldn't be killed.  
But this is the way stupid ones survive – as long as intelligent ones let them…  
What would happen was, simply, that they would go around freely and calmly – always finding the wit necessary to survive, in impossible situations.  
Never finding the wit necessary to choose wisely their path – so: wronging.  
Wronging and wronging and getting in bad situations – walls, always against walls.  
But there would always be a last chance for them, to escape the wall and continue walking in that motherfucking desert.  
They could walk an entire life in the desert – without _right_ – because right isn't food.  
They had chosen _a way to do things_.  
And this means that they didn't choose _what to do_.  
One time, one choice, one thing.  
It's not a difficult concept.  
They would wrong – but at a level, where only the most intelligent climb to.  
The most intelligent ones would see that they wronged – the majority (?) of stupid ones wouldn't.  
Things won't work by themselves – as long as they include _stupid humans_ acting by themselves.  
Is it actually necessary, for things to work, that the supremacy quells the ones below?  
Is _this _what has to happen?  
Shin asked to be put in Naruto's personal guard.  
This actually meant entering the military, and he knew, and killing people, and he knew.  
This was necessary.  
What _he liked,_ what _he wanted, _what _he believed_ – THESE WEREN'T DISCRIMINANTS.  
This was necessary – to get at his level, you have to add _CERTAINLY.  
_What Shin took – for granted.  
Huh…  
Shin was in a bad nick.  
He had improved his eating – he was _nearly _eating as much as he should.  
But sleeping – this was impossible to him.  
The monkey, the urging was calling.  
This was the third 'session'; and the third time – _we humans know it since centuries_ – is the last.  
This time, the urge was too fucking LOUD – he couldn't miss to do it a single day, but his body couldn't – he felt it – bear it that much.  
His wounds healed and scarred in a strange way – he had to inform Tsunade about it, to get an advice from her.  
She said:  
"You actually believed everything was going to be right, doing THIS?  
Shin, how the fuck could you do it?  
It isn't – conceivable.  
You should have never done it.  
I know only how to CURE you.  
For the moment I can act on symptoms – like this sleeping disease, and so on – like you physical pain threshold, which I see isn't existing – HOW CAN YOU BEAR SO MUCH PAIN?  
Everything hurts to you.  
When this shit will be over, when I can dismiss you – I will heal you thoroughly.  
It means induced coma, at least 5 months.  
I'm not joking. And don't say _no_.  
Your mind will be fucked up if you don't do it.  
Your _brain_ won't be mechanically able to make it think, anymore.  
It will go berserk, following your peripheral nerves.  
I won't even ask you."  
Shin laughed.  
"You women, you are so incredible.  
You will actually heal me _raping my autodiscrimination_.  
But this is not what you believe, you scientifically know it. This means it's right.  
Then, okay, you'll do it.  
_Thank you"_.  
Tsunade mumbled "Angel" spitefully, as she opened him the door.

Few days later, the Anbus patrolling Konoha's gates brought a strictly confidential message to Tsunade.  
The masked man had come, and wanted to ask her – again, a barter.  
Well, what did you think intelligence wars are made of?  
Still better than wars of attrition, where you completely lose _hope, balance, self-control_ and _nerves.  
_Wait…this is perfectly what happened to those born between 40s and 70s.  
Okay for the later born ones – the Cold War is THE _war of attrition_.  
But those born earlier – THE SECOND WORLD WAR, giving 35 million deaths, is the _antonym_ of 'war of attrition'.  
Let's hope these ninjas don't fall in the same blur of destruction _we created_.  
The masked man offered Tsunade exactly what he wanted to offer to Sasuke:  
"I take the Kyuubi.  
And I save the Jinchuuriki, first. Then we can think of deleting those Three".  
The Three Enemies, Sasuke, Orochimaru and Neji, had become even more dangerous – _the previous week_.  
They had decided to – fuse.  
Neji had been taken in – three consciences in a single body.  
Orochimaru was oppressed by those two, but Neji was necessary to him – and useful in a way.  
It was easy to convince him that:  
"Sasuke is the weakest.  
He is on me only because I have to wait until I regain strength.  
You, _stay on my side_.  
You will be my voice and my arms.  
He won't even notice – you know he's such a dumbass…"  
And, what would you say to a snake?  
_Yess…  
_Neji also thought of deceiving Sasuke, block him out, douse him and take Naruto alone.  
Then, fuck it, he would find a way to get rid of Orochimaru.  
For the moment he could only think of _getting – getting – getting_ Naruto.  
He sometimes convinced the other guys – they hired whores and transformed them in him.  
This was surely a way to cope – but having _him_, under your hands, you know – it's different.  
As for the masked man – Tsunade refused.  
Naruto was happy – he actually wanted to keep the Kyuubi now.  
This was the only thing that made Naruto happy.  
Someone had told him that Itachi had been killed – before the news could be silenced, he already had attempted suicide.  
Even when Itachi came back, alive and sane – explaining that they had to spread the rumor, since Akatsuki was at a slip to get him – Naruto did it – again.  
There were a number of reasons.  
He lacked faith – in everyone.  
And everything.  
No joy was to come, no friendship, no normal relationship; it would only be PAIN, PAIN, PAIN.  
The Kyuubi alone could intervene, and he did – every time.  
He healed the wounds, he convinced Naruto that it was worth to be alive – and then eventually remembered him – about himself.  
The Kyuubi.  
If Naruto died, he would be freed – and he couldn't grant him about his goodness, if those scoundrels put hands on him.  
Itachi was blocked out of Naruto's life now – Neji left a huge track of fear behind him.  
He had done it willingly – it was just a rehearsal of _what_ he wanted to do him.  
Naruto had to be _afraid_ of everyone else – even of himself – the important thing was that he wouldn't let _others_ touch him.  
We don't actually know what made Neji and Sasuke so mad about him, apart a single cause.  
We'll forward it as it had been stated by Shin, in his own attempts to help Naruto clinch to life:  
"_Belief, but once, can be – annihilate a single cause – and Being's beggary"  
_(there were other people listening, so he had to explain it in loud voice)  
"My dear.  
They need an obsession.  
They aren't good anymore – to live by themselves.  
They needed an obsession, and they created it.  
They've convinced themselves – that they want you thus.  
That's why it actually _sounds _strange – this is a lie.  
This is artificial.  
A human mind created it, it's not nature-like.  
You can taste it, don't you?  
It tastes of _human hands_.  
That's how your mind writes down this:  
'_The elements I saw and their links are way too similar to those compressed and modified elements we see in LIES'_ – it calls thus also dreams, illusions, hopes and  
so on – '_this has too much points in common'_ like with fingerprints, the same process – since it's a similar system – okay – _'This means they work the same, as far as I know'.  
_It's really uneasy to unfold the mind's writhes – however, it only takes a lot of time.  
That's why I don't sleep.  
NOW."  
Yes, he laughed.

What Shin wouldn't absolutely accept was Kakashi's suggestion about Naruto.  
Jiraya agreed, Tsunade agreed, Itachi didn't know what to do – Shin couldn't simply _picture it_.  
Of course modifying the normal acting of one's mind isn't so easy to accept.  
But they had to do it; they would risk Naruto's own life, otherwise.  
His mind had to be cut off – a part of his mind.  
This is the interesting thing about ignorant humans.  
Ninjas knew how to do it – but they _didn't know how it worked.  
_Yes, I'm laughing.  
They had to face a problem, anyway: _douse_ Naruto's memory or _erase_ it?  
They decided that erasing it was the best choice.  
Dousing it – Sasuke could still find a way to awaken it again.  
Naruto was like a zombie – he looked like a drug addict.  
Neji had sent his mind spinning.  
He wanted to spike Naruto/Itachi's affair – but spiking Naruto's milk meant also make him go around basted, drunken with fear, hate and despair.  
Neji had foreseen it, and he didn't give a fuck.  
Naruto was left alone, as usual – surrounded by people he was afraid of.  
So he wanted to push them away; firstly, to avoid fear – secondly, to avoid _hurting them_ with his fear.  
Neji had bashed him up, so as to torture him.  
He acted on his psychological pain threshold as self-injury acted on Shin's physiological one.  
What Neji didn't think of was the Kyuubi.  
The Kyuubi, in this situation, _was _half the battle – but not Neji's half.  
The Kyuubi had strengthened Naruto – he had supported him.  
While Naruto bashed on – trained by Itachi's promise – the virus had continued to carve his mind.  
And – as Naruto slowly turned to a basket case – Neji began to think of a smarter, quicker, easier way to get him.  
Spirit him off.  
Sneak into Konoha and kidnap him.  
Neji laughed, mentally – thinking that he would do it _off his own bat_ – if he only could.  
Unless he found allies – but how could he find allies _against the ones who shared his body_?  
He could only use Orochimaru.  
How to – convince him about his own hidden depths?  
Neji's skills were derisory, compared with Orochimaru's.  
And of course Orochimaru shouldn't comprehend – that also Neji wanted the same thing Sasuke did.  
To give the Devil his due, Orochimaru was working hard – to keep those two at bay.  
What he hoped was, instead, that they would get in conflict – witnessing their Battle Royale he would get a lot of information about them.  
Orochimaru had his own idea of playing a straight bat.  
He would get the Kyuubi to use it as a weapon – he would get control over this body and live on, able to use his hands again – and stop.  
There were a lot of people in Konoha batting for the Jinchuuriki; as always, Orochimaru would be the only one to bat for himself.  
The snake is a real egoist, you know!  
You laughed?  
Neji had to devise a plan.  
He began to devalue Sasuke to Orochimaru's eyes.  
"Yeah, the Sharingan, but I have the Byakugan.  
Yeah, this, but _I obey you"_.  
Orochimaru's answer was:  
"As soon as I am able, I'll delete him – I'll merge your cells and keep _your_ conscience only, Hyuuga.  
I can't despise those _perfect_ Uchiha cells, you understand?  
But I'll keep also _yours_.  
As for the Jinchuuriki – we can reach a compromise.  
I'll take the Kyuubi and manage to give you _another body_ – you don't mind which, isn't it?  
What would you say of Kakashi Hatake?  
I can kill him.  
I know you were thinking of Itachi, but I already tried – this guy is motherfucking impossible.  
Kakashi is difficult, too – here, intelligence matters.  
As for me, for your same reasons with the Jinchuuriki – I'll take that white-haired guy…he's so _interesting".  
_Neji thought that he was – Orochimaru – motherfuckingly intelligent and motherfuckingly CRAZY.  
What we think of Nazis, you know.  
Neji's plan looked more or less like this:  
Sneak into Konoha.  
Get Naruto and disbud – impair – him; using Sasuke _and_ Orochimaru.  
Douse Sasuke and keep Naruto; using Orochimaru.  
Fuck off Orochimaru/Follow him and get another body, keeping Naruto AND possibly Shin.

Sneaking in Konoha was the most difficult part.  
They thought of something like reversed evocation.  
Someone had to walk in the village, then _call the three of them_ there.  
Someone – could also be someone from the Akatsuki.  
Its members were besieging Orochimaru's village – they didn't hear from the "WAIT A SEC" ear.  
If they only convinced one of them…but _Orochimaru knew who to call upon!  
_The puppet-like one!  
Sasori – he liked puppets. Creating puppets – or well, TURNING HUMANS INTO PUPPETS.  
Orochimaru could give him a shitload of raw material – humans to kill.  
So they found a hole to sneak out through – they found Sasori – they convinced him.  
Sasori used one of his puppets to sneak in Konoha, host his spirit and chakra – and evoke OroSasuNeji.  
They arrived – right after Naruto's memory had been affected by his healers.  
Shin was there – "You made your own fucking choice, Jinchuuriki.  
This doesn't change a thing about me".  
Naruto answered, brain-addled for the moment (changing the mind yields these side-effects):  
"You don't care cause you don't exist…what the fuck is it another joke?"  
Shin shook his head smiling lightly and said:  
"You belong only to you…"  
They were taking Naruto back home from the Hokage's palace, where the 'healing' took place.  
Shin spoke, and then – a bunch of colored fog before them – something moving – appearing – WHAT?  
'_Who the fuck was that?'  
_This thought Naruto. They had removed him all the memories of Sasuke and Neji, along with the mayhem footing.  
'_What the fuck is this?'  
_This thought Kakashi and Shin, and the others.  
The right question, however, was the one posited by Naruto: WHO.  
Is it – Neji, Sasuke, or Orochimaru?  
He looked like all of them – his eyes had white sharingan iris – but with Orochimaru's shades.  
He had Orochimaru's hair – with Sasuke's strands on face.  
He was white – nearly grey-skinned – like Orochimaru.  
They smiled – looking Naruto. Who stared at them, voiceless – ending up saying:  
"Well? D'you want a picture? What have you got to look?"  
They laughed.  
Kakashi and Shin sprang forward and blocked his way – to Naruto.  
Who was baffled – actually asking:  
"WHAT'S UP, YOU, NOW?  
Isn't he that guy…the snake guy…oh, right, the demon.  
But – can't I fight?"  
Shin answered:  
"Not now – don't hide. Stay in sight and let us fix it".  
"Well, well, well…" said they.

Shin attacked them, mentally, with a slight result.  
They were three, but their minds worked as half of Shin's.  
Sasuke left the other two in his hands – he stood up on them (mentally, we mean) and took control over the body.  
He spread the arms and shouted:  
"SILENCE FOR MY REVELRY!", laughing, batshit crazy as we know him.  
He attacked Naruto's mind as reply.  
His painful clutch made Naruto scream:  
"What?  
...Filthy hands – stay away from –  
MIND – mine…"  
Shin left hold of Orochimaru and Neji – he had had the proof: Sasuke was the worse one.  
Shin blocked him and forced him to retreat from Naruto's mind, saying:  
"ONLY ONE OF US WALKS AWAY."  
"You hate me?  
For what reason?" said Sasuke, baffled.  
He looked at Shin – as at a girl. Which girl angrily answered:  
"Every reason is a reason to hate, _you fucking pussy_.  
Naruto…RECKONING!"  
Naruto took breath twice, then shouted: "Somebody explain this! What the fuck is happening?"  
Sasuke, nervous, attempted to answer – stuttering:  
"You, me – I can't – picture – pict…how could he?..."  
Shin had fired him off Naruto's mind, and was actually laughing in his face right now.  
Orochimaru revolted, took control back and hissed to him:  
"Face me, human, c'mon.  
What can you do?  
It's not only a fucking human mind this!"  
He laughed, hissing, his voice cold, frail and trembling.  
His laugh – wasn't what you call human.  
Shin laughed, snarling, his voice LOUD, WARM, VIOLENT, angry.  
His laugh – was _more than human_. More human that what you always called so.  
"All I hear is human noise here, _freak_.  
Face it, you're coward.  
Cowards can't win.  
No matter how long you survive stealing second after second to righteousness – you _will_ be erased.  
That's not what matters to me.  
You _freaks_.  
Don't – annoy – ME!"  
Naruto – replied this.  
He said it – then he ran at OroSasuNeji – letting the Kyuubi quell his mind and body.  
The Panoply of Bastards – the Three Enemies in One – realized it, after all.  
Sneaking in without being seen, without alarming the Ninjas – was acceptable.  
THIS wasn't acceptable!  
Kakashi, Shin, Naruto – the KYUUBI – fucking angry with them…  
Orochimaru decided _that they had _to go away.  
He managed to make Sasuke think – of having decided it himself.  
He managed to take control of the three of them – _without the other two noticing it_.  
Brain wars. My God.  
Orochimaru escaped with the others – Shin caught Naruto, still running, and held his head looking in his eyes.  
"Good work, Kurama. Well played."

_I might have said yeah – But I laughed so hard I think I'd die…  
It's you and me, just think of it!_


	15. Scissors

Scissors:

Sasuke insulted and cursed Orochimaru, whining, all the way long.  
Neji sighed loudly – mentally, we mean – and got a slap from Sasuke.  
Their quarreling had reached the state of a civil war – in which none of the contenders could defy the others.  
The eternal, looping war of attrition – psychological terror war – they were under – made them waste most of their energies.  
To make the body do the right thing, you must control it – think about it.  
And if you're constantly thinking of something else – you won't be able to move and react.  
You have to hide and wait, until the process – the thing you're thinking of – is done.  
So they now had to hide and wait – they couldn't do a thing, 'til their body could follow _a single_ decision.  
Three different choices together – a single body can't follow them, altogether.  
They had to hide – and wait.  
Orochimaru was used to it, Neji was too – Sasuke wasn't.  
Sasuke had always been warm-blooded in reacting to events – lacking (self-) control.  
No feelings – cold blooded side.  
No control – warm blooded side.  
This is no incredible thing: it's only a stupid human.  
What is easier to lead to _reductio ad absurdum _than a stupid person?  
What is easier to lead – than a stupid person?  
What is easier to X than a stupid person? X – whatever.  
That's why Orochimaru could easily move them – in extreme emergency, as above.  
Neji was the Machiavellian one – in common use of the word.  
Neji was a schemer – strategies were his Non Plus Ultra.  
Of course – not when he was using the Byakugan.  
It was really heavy – RAM-speaking.  
He couldn't run, when he was carrying a burden.  
Normally he couldn't, we mean – but now his mind should work for only a third of his body – including eyes.  
Now, their Byakugan's weight was divided on the three of them.  
Neji's mind had started to work – on the same things and in the same way it had always done – but FASTER.  
It was Neji to suggest:  
"Give him Out-Out. Yes, Out-Out…"  
When he and Orochimaru had finished explaining to Sasuke the "Aut-Aut" meaning and the "Out-Out" wordgame, Sasuke had  
to ask, again:  
"What are we talking of?"  
Neji sighed – cleared his throat to hide it – and replied:  
"Or well.  
The Demon and Naruto.  
We tell him: we'll get you, we or the Akatsuki will.  
Now – WE use YOU – or the Kyuubi.  
The Akatsuki uses the Kyuubi.  
Do you want a slaughter – or you surrender?"  
Sasuke laughed.  
"You're it, when it comes to smartness.  
Yes, I'm alright.  
Say, _you_?"  
He never called Orochimaru by name: he refused to.  
Orochimaru didn't answer – he licked his lips and looked astray.  
_No, Orochimaru didn't want it_.  
It was helpless – he couldn't accept their plan.  
That mischief – poor thing, that soul.  
If those two bastards could only picture WHAT happens to the _soul_ of a raped person – they would give it up.  
Neji and Sasuke didn't care about his answer – his silence meant "I won't interfere" – they thought.  
It didn't – Orochimaru knew they thought so – he did it on purpose.  
He did many things on purpose – without the others seeing his thoughts about them.  
He also knew and perceived many things – without involving them.  
He could – encrypt everything – higher, deeper – he could put anything _out of their reach_.  
It was easy for him: everything he thought, he simply did it in _a language_ those two couldn't comprehend.  
They were so young, then – they had always lived in the same place, known those 20 people and stop.  
They simply lacked background – records.  
What you may call experience – but you mayn't call it _settings_.  
Previous facts modify the after ones, we all know, only IN their direct consequences.  
The consequences of a consequence – are features of the latter, not of its cause.  
It's simple.  
Therefore – two discrete but alike events take place.  
I eat today, and I eat tomorrow.  
If I don't eat today, does it mean I won't eat tomorrow?  
No. That's why records are experience, and experience isn't _settings_.  
It's simple, in human words.  
If you talk to a human in machine language – what's strange, in that that the human doesn't comprehend?  
It was so easy to Orochimaru – to dodge them, dribble their questions and reach the goals: data.  
They lacked knowledge: they lacked data.  
They couldn't recognize those data when he put them down.  
They couldn't recognize the _words_ of that language – they couldn't understand _those words' meanings.  
_Orochimaru, yeah, fuck it, was REALLY INTELLIGENT.  
And batshit crazy.  
Unluckily Sasuke inherited the latter feature.

Neji and Sasuke were already talking of the subsequent matter: _how to tell Naruto?  
_Orochimaru was thinking of a completely different thing, more useful and urgent than that.  
Sasori's puppet was still free and walking in Konoha.  
Use _him_ – to gather information about the Jinchuuriki.  
Orochimaru was there to make a main choice, and he hated doing so.  
He had had to do main choices his all life.  
He was fed up with it.  
He suddenly thought that he missed Kabuto.  
He had to choose whether to _give the Jinchuuriki to Akatsuki_ or not.  
Giving him away – those two wouldn't _soil_ HIS body (for he considered Sasuke's body as _his_ one now).  
It was the only way to avoid it – but as for now he decided to wait.  
He could exploit the Kyuubi – those two little bastards could lose interest in that boy.  
He could even find a way to delete Sasuke and Neji's minds from his body.  
He found him, again – it was so easy with the Byakugan – and asked him to risk again – his puppet.  
Sasori agreed, being granted – the second time – that he would "have all the corpses you want, when I destroy Konoha".  
Orochimaru simply wanted information.  
How/where/what was the Jinchuuriki doing?  
Sasori's puppet walked around in the city, found Naruto, acted like being "just arrived" and "wanting to _become_ a ninja" and cheated him.  
Naruto believed it, and as usual – he decided to TRAIN this guy.  
This guy, moreover, was very young – around 10.  
Sasori knew which cards to play – he didn't give a damn about war laws.  
War is war, we also say.  
The Akatsuki wasn't better nor worse than Narcos.  
Sasori killed and reviled a CHILD – for _war's sake_.  
As Narcos do.  
Orochimaru knew – and didn't let Sasuke and Neji know – important things.  
Naruto and Itachi were eventually together.  
It was secret, for now – they didn't want to risk a lot.  
If Sasuke knew of their affair – since it had already reached a physical state – he would make up a mess.  
So he kept it secret, too – and when he had known what he wanted, he told Sasori to forward the Out-Out message.  
Naruto firstly was puzzled – then tried to kill the guy, immediately, without thinking – Sasori made the guy _disappear_.  
A corpse-puppet's Kagebunshin – Japan…  
Naruto looked – dumb – the empty spot it left behind – and knelt down, slowly.  
He put his hands on the ground, always looking before him – mouth open, voiceless.  
Then he grinned – he growled – he lowered his head – he sprang up, turned around, stood still for a moment – always looking that empty spot.  
Then he caught his breath and ran away – to Kakashi.  
He wasn't there, since Naruto's personal guard had been diminished.  
Itachi had been moved to serve in Konoha only, for the moment – Tsunade decided so.  
So, Itachi was always walking around Naruto – and Shin too.  
Tsunade thought that they were enough as defense.  
They needed Shinobis to fight and look for Orochimaru & Co. and the Akatsuki, so she took Kakashi and Jiraya back.  
Itachi and Shin didn't see anything strange within the puppet-boy; Itachi's eyes were fucked, and Shin couldn't use Doujutsus.  
He was only looking around for DANGER – and this guy wasn't dangerous at all.  
In fact, he wasn't made to be dangerous – and no one could kidnap Naruto this way.  
Moreover, Shin handled this boy as he handled anyone else: through his mind.  
He found a mind within this boy – SASORI's mind. There was nothing strange.  
Even when the guy disappeared that way – Itachi only understood it was a Kagebunshin, and so did Shin.  
But neither Itachi could understand that it was Sasori's weapon – where could he see it?  
He only got it afterwards – when they all were talking of the incident and someone marked that they never saw him eating – nor sleeping.  
Naruto had to go to Tsunade's office to find Kakashi – and found there Jiraya.  
He had to inform him too, then – about the Out-Out.  
"Out the Kyuubi" or "Out (you) of Konoha".  
It was Shin to posit a solution.  
"I get the Kyuubi."

Itachi looked him, mentally erased, and hugged him desperately.  
Naruto laughed, talking with Shin – mentally, as always – and, of course, agreeing.  
Shin caught his breath to talk – to explain _why_ he was able to host the Kyuubi.  
He couldn't even _begin_ the sentence – Kakashi said, warm:  
"We already know."  
Shin sighed, looking Tsunade smiling, thankful.  
Shin was glad – of not having to _put it down in words NOW_.  
Shin was also glad of being so unimportant to them.  
It is such a mayhem for others' feelings, knowing it – and elsewhere than here, so useless.  
Tsunade agreed, and so did the other two.  
Naruto naively asked "How will you take it?"  
Shin laughed, saying – voiced:  
"He's got a mind too, Kurama. _He'll want_ it. He'll come out and herein by himself".  
Naruto laughed, puzzled, commenting:  
"You could fuck us all up – and you _respected our will_…"  
"I hate moving puppets, I just' can't help it.  
I still want _peers_.Kurama _may be_ the one with which I can play - eventually.  
It's my whole life I wait someone to play with…My whole life I wait to play."  
Yes, he laughed.  
He entered Naruto's mind – or well, he just stood out of it and looked for Kurama therein.  
Kurama answered his call – actually laughing, happy.  
He made Naruto feel devalued – calling _Shin_ his "little prince".  
He felt Naruto's displease and explained:  
"No hard feelings, but he is better than you for me.  
You can't do nothing about it – OR WELL, I wish you don't.  
His diamond mind is as strong as mine.  
I can understand what you say about the _peer_…your peer, yes.  
You first had to survive, whatever happened – then you could have time to think about a peer.  
That's why you did so.  
If your primary interest was having a PEER, you wouldn't go so fucking further.  
How can you have a peer, now that you are the Non Plus Ultra of humans?  
Others won't follow you, they'll only exploit your might.  
You know, I know that feeling…"  
Yes, Kurama laughed.  
Yes, Kurama _moved_ – by himself – in Shin's mind and body.  
Shin exclaimed: "WOW! That's how it feels to be pregnant!"  
Tsunade laughed, stupidly.  
The next moment, Shin went completely off.  
They couldn't talk with him, nor make him react to anything.  
He was totally dipped in his own conscience, talking with Kurama.  
And crossing _every fucking datum – element – constituent – he ever knew_ with Kurama's features.  
This was his way of understanding reality.  
Cross everything with everything and everything else, constantly.  
Every new constituent you collect – cross everything you already know with it, again.  
Crossing data - HUMANS.  
Four hours later he eventually woke up – he hadn't finished that work, of course.  
He had only reached a state in which he could also think of other things.  
Most part of the work had been done – the rest would go on practically by itself.  
As he woke up, Shin sighed, staring at the wall, then turning to Naruto.  
"Hey. How does it feel to be alone?"  
"I'd actually say VOID, more than alone…" answered Naruto, laughing. "I feel – light…"  
Tsunade was worried – and she put hands before her mouth, elbows pointed on the table.  
"Excellent.  
Now, my dear angel – I will have to gather _your_ personal guard.  
The same persons – Naruto, can I take you in?  
You'll have to train, to gain techniques _without_ the Kyuubi's chakra – I think…" she ended, turning to Shin.  
"Not until I'm around him.  
We pass anything, mentally."  
Tsunade smiled to him.  
She couldn't help treating him as a mother treats someone else's child.  
Shin puzzled her (as children do) asking an incredible thing:  
"I want Hinata Hyuuga in my guard."  
"WHAT?" asked Kakashi.  
Naruto laughed and said – voiceless: "Think about her, Shin. Instinct tells me."  
Shin smiled looking him – but he smiled in a new way, a _normal_ – WEAK way. A human way.  
Then he answered Kakashi:  
"I need the Byakugan. And she's right-thinking.  
She's really good.  
As for now, I think it's better that I don't move from Konoha.  
They will show up here, surely – they'll soon realize you don't have the Kyuubi anymore, and they'll think I'm weaker.  
Which _is_ actually true – weaker doesn't mean less harmful".  
Jiraya laughed, puzzled: "You're right! How could you already understand–"  
"I'm fed up with being right…" said Shin, sighing.

They had only to wait until the next morning – Akatsuki _came_.  
They came to get the Kyuubi, or both – and to kill Itachi.  
The battle didn't last very long – Itachi was still able to use his Susanoo, which – combined with the Kyuubi, Jiraya's toads and Kakashi's brain – yielded a positive result.  
A completely positive result – the only survivor was the masked man.  
Shin handled Hidan and Kakuzu – the Kyuubi destroyed Sasori and made Deidara implode, firing on him.  
You know, if you shoot on a heap of ammunitions – contained in a human body – more than exploding, it implodes.  
Kisame had to face Itachi, and in the last moment – his body simply refused to hit him.  
So Itachi won – he tried to avoid killing Kisame, but the battle was raging on and – you know how war is like – some blow shot by someone hit someone, and this time it was Kisame.  
The masked man disappeared when he understood _who Shin was_.  
Shin had an easy playing, in killing Hidan – he _modified his thoughts _and made him _willing to die.  
_He worked on Kakuzu practically the same way: Kakuzu suddenly 'realized' that it was IMPOSSIBLE to _live with his cardiovascular system_.  
His cardiovascular system simply _believed him _– and crumbled in pieces.  
Shin – and Hinata – noticed the masked man fleeing.  
However they had to think of the battle then – and, the battle ended, Hinata couldn't find him there around.  
Shin had been wounded in some way – and even Naruto was quite baffled, when he saw him – kneeling down, hardly breathing, smiling like a junkie – and then laughing helplessly, staring the air before him.  
Naruto realized: it was the physical pain.  
He suddenly thought that it was impossible for Shin to get on with Hinata.  
Or well – it was it, backwards.  
Naruto sat down beside Shin and only _then_ saw Gaara, standing on the roof above them, laughing.  
He had helped them in battle – shielding them with his sand, when they were attacked.  
He jumped down, sat down beside Shin, on the other side – looked Naruto and said, patting Shin's head:  
"Why didn't you introduce him to me?" laughing.  
Naruto thought – "God makes them and ships them".  
Shin's head sprang suddenly up – to watch Gaara.  
Shin smiled, cleared his throat – recovering a little – and asked him:  
"So? Who are you?"


	16. Eeyore

Eeyore:

Gaara was gaping at Shin, silently.  
Yes, Shin was going around with only his uniform on – yes, Shin was even wearing his hair loose.  
Shin smiled to Gaara – Naruto understood.  
He wanted to laugh, but he couldn't – he didn't have the time.  
Itachi had embraced and lifted him, as we do with children.  
Itachi couldn't simply talk – he was breathless.  
Shin laughed the same, and gave to Naruto Itachi's words:  
'_I thought they were _so_ killing me. Thank you so much – you're alive.  
More than anything I could ask for – MY LITTLE PRINCE'.  
_Naruto felt it – looked Kakashi and Shin – the earlier to find permission and the latter to find approval.  
He answered, talking:  
"My life thanks you, _my KING_".  
No, he didn't kiss Itachi. It wasn't necessary; anyone understood.  
Anyone apart Kakashi – who simply received a "we like so much each other" meaning.  
Then Itachi let Naruto down; he brought him by hand to Kakashi – who shouted for joy cheering their cleverness – their abilities – their TOTAL FUCKING FLAWLESS VICTORY.  
Naruto couldn't stop laughing – and Jiraya too.  
"It's so strange – hearing your profanity – you've always been SO SERIOUS!" ended up Naruto, laughing.  
"Serious…'cause you never saw him drunk…!" commented Guy.  
Naruto turned to talk to Shin – and found him – still looking at Gaara.  
And Gaara looking at him – silently.  
Then Shin, as soon as Naruto watched him, started laughing.  
And after a second Gaara did too – then Shin suddenly stopped.  
"Wait. You actually – don't bother. Better – don't think about _me_. It's better…"  
Naruto was actually more puzzled than Gaara.  
What a miracle was this? Shin – forgetting his self-injury – to a _human_?  
Then it was true.  
His addiction wasn't a substitute for humans – it only _saved their place_.  
When a human was able to arrive – as Gaara had done – at _their level_ – self-injurers could actually live like all the others?  
BUT THEN, WHERE WAS THE PROBLEM?  
Naruto, you know him – he always cared for others.  
He cared about Shin: he wanted him to live a full, beautiful life.  
'_Where is the problem then?'_, thought he.  
Uh, of course. The addiction itself – Shin couldn't get rid of it.  
His mind would be free – his soul would be enlivened again.  
(I know this is blasphemy, I just use it for the metaphor.  
The soul _isn't living_ – only material things can be _living_.  
The soul can _exist_ – as long as you picture it.  
Stop, and it will disappear.  
You know – close this window, and the text will disappear.  
It's easy.).  
His soul, therefore, would be enlightened again.  
It would be working – feelings, fear, HOPE – love – _OTHERS. _Someone else – would be important again.  
He would MATTER again.  
Naruto laughed, thinking that self-injury had been the Higgs Bosom of his life – since without it, the entire world wouldn't matter.  
Naruto laughed – and didn't face the problem.  
Since, contrarily to Shin – he already _knew_ – that problem wasn't.  
Naruto knew Gaara.  
And as soon as he thought it – _Shin_ thought it – and laughed.  
Naruto suddenly pictured – WHY SHIN DID ALL THIS WITH HIM.  
Because – it was useful to SHIN.  
'_Shin works for Shin – it's even written on his body.  
How could I be – so DEFENSELESS – as to not comprehend a feature of the thing I was handling – and NOT FORESEE its following WORKING – consequence? HOW COULDN'T I RECOGNIZE A DEFINITION?'  
_Naruto sighed, feeling that he had a lot of work to do, still – to get _at his own level.  
He – _Naruto – was able to do much better than this.  
At least, what Shin did! – and without – or well – _external help_.  
Shin used Naruto's mind to gather _knowledge_ – as he had done right now.  
Shin used others' minds as mirrors, to look where he couldn't see.  
Shin shared his mind with Naruto's – BECAUSE IT WAS USEFUL TO SHIN.  
Not to Naruto, as Naruto had always thought.  
Not because Naruto could learn from him – so Shin felt like teaching him.  
Nope – because Shin _needed it_.  
Survival – defense – preparation – foreseeing – KNOWLEDGE.  
He was _so cold-blooded_ – more than cold-blooded.  
He was a fucking machine.  
And you already realized, as Naruto suddenly did, that THIS IS WHY WE HUMANS _DEVELOPED_ KNOWLEDGE?  
We are the only ones to comprehend _knowledge.  
_I don't know if we _created_ it or _saw _it – anyways, we _developed _it to its actual state.  
Thanks God, we're humans.  
So, as Goethe said, "Who talks of Victory? Surviving is it all".

"Rhetoric".  
Gaara replied to Shin.  
Shin suddenly burst out laughing – he embraced the other howling for joy.  
Because: Gaara got it – just a second before Shin did.  
This was enough for the moment – they left the place, going home – Gaara escorted Shin to the prison, wondering about his accommodation.  
Shin, of course, laughed and answered:  
"It was what I needed. I'll just show you – then you'll do whatever fits you. Talk to me…of you. Talk me about you."  
"Who I am?"  
Shin was puzzled – then smiled and said:  
"Rhetoric, well played. _How are you like_. ABOUT you, not _you_".  
"You always laugh last?"  
"I'm always the last. I always break through. Then, if I have to laugh, I laugh." he said, smiling.  
Gaara smiled too, comprehensive.  
"Poor lost soul like me – luckily we met. I wasn't expecting anymore…"  
"Nor I..." sighed and laughed Shin. "I only wonder why didn't you fall where I fell – where's your strength?"  
"What are you talking – _of_?"  
"Pain".  
Gaara leered him silently.  
"Only Naruto has been able to make me feel physical pain.  
You see, it's because of the sand, my sand.  
It always defends me – it's my mother".  
Shin could only answer that he chose _defense_ to parents.  
Later, he showed _it_ to Gaara.  
And Gaara, incredibly, _understood_ it – he could only say "Now – you'll – stop – of – course."  
Shin nodded, still – motionless.  
He was waiting.  
Still leering him – Gaara nodded too – grabbed his arm and brought him out, back to the others.  
They walked talking – mentally _and_ voicedly.  
They found the others spread around the Hokage's palace – someone was even sleeping on some bench.  
Kakashi and Guy were disappeared – Itachi and Naruto were quietly talking about _their_ _affair_ to Jiraya.  
Tsunade was walking around giving orders, preparing to Orochimaru's sure attack.  
Gaara and Shin joined her, planning any kind _and_ sort of defense possible.  
Defending Naruto was surely easier than defending the Kyuubi.  
But defending from Orochimaru was surely harder than defending from Akatsuki.  
Orochimaru always had an ace in the sleeve – he could always do an incredible thing.  
And you can't expect - what's incredible – and in the mess of a war, the unexpected only can be _mayhem_.  
From war to life – the only difference is violence.  
Shin was preparing to defend Naruto – he awakened every single particle of his mind.  
The self-injury-related parts were active – and _also_ the Gaara-related parts.  
This was Shin's exclusive.  
Where others had to choose between two – he always got both. He was able to.  
Shin self-injured because he had to force himself to live on.  
He couldn't commit suicide – he was a junkie.  
He couldn't – choose – to WILL – to _sever – _his body – from _that_ sensation – irreversibly – FATALLY.  
Why did he have to _force himself_ this way – to constrain himself from committing suicide?  
Cold.  
Cold kills, you know.  
Shin's doors – to _others_ – were opened. And no one was out there – all the others were _behind_ him.  
Always behind him – so Shin CLOSED THOSE DOORS.  
Only cold came in from those doors – only cold was left out when he closed them.  
He could survive, this way.  
If he didn't use this device – he _could _end up killing himself.  
Thus he had been granted survival – he was assured that _nothing_ would ever subdue him.  
_There is many a pang to pursue me: they may crush, but shall not contemn – they may torture, but shall not subdue me_.  
He still felt that cold – but at least there were doors before it.  
You may call it an isolation – from your own hunger.  
The one thing Shin had to deal with now was: _could he reopen those doors_?  
What involved Gaara, actually – what Gaara felt too.  
Could he eventually trust another human being's presence in his private life?  
Could he trust _another human being's _personal – individual, both ways – love?Of course – as long as it was Shin.  
It's actually impossible, for a sane human being, to willingly hurt a self-injurer.  
But it's ACTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE, for a self-injurer, to go mad – insane.  
No, a self-injurer is totally harmless – for others.  
He'll never want to hurt someone else, okay – but he'll _always also understand_ what HURT will mean.  
He's totally trustable.

Shin took four days to prepare.  
He would go on working – when you already learned, repeating is always better – wasn't it for OroSasuNeji's coming.  
Shin was prepared – he used the time others took in fighting Sasuke – to hide and simply _watch him_ – with Hinata on his side.  
Gaara was fighting, too – he acknowledged, soon, that the three minds before him, in a single body, were also fighting within themselves.  
Sasuke and Neji were forcedly dragging Orochimaru to fight.  
It was evident: their common body moved back and forth, stepping, jumping, leaping – without a specified reason.  
It wasn't only following the battle – it was following an internal war of wills.  
Orochimaru yanked it away and SasuNeji jerked it forward.  
Gaara laughed, unwillingly – SasuNeji was too busy acting _cool_ to notice it.  
But Orochimaru did.  
He then saw Gaara turning to look at Shin – Orochimaru temporarily deviated their Byakugan to look there.  
He saw Shin, and felt him – _moving things _in the younger ones' minds.  
He took some minutes to understand _what_ he was putting therein – and when he did, he abruptly leapt back.  
Sasuke and Neji sprang back with him – or well, _within_ it – their body.  
They were distracted, this way – and they couldn't block – none of the two things that were happening then.  
Orochimaru actually left their body. He disappeared – he withdrew his conscience from that brain.  
They couldn't see where he went – sure it was that he went.  
"WHAT THE FUCK IS UP?" asked Sasuke.  
"GET THE FUCK AWAY!" answered Neji – following Orochimaru in the last moment.  
He grabbed Orochimaru's hair, you could say – following his advice: "Run if you want to…"  
Shin's laugh could be heard, voiced, from there – but Sasuke didn't hear it voiced.  
He heard it voiceless – IN HIS MIND.  
And it wasn't only Shin's voice.  
There was – _something else_ – laughing.  
Something that was – more powerful – mighty – concrete – heavy – FULL – than anything Sasuke could ever conceive.  
It was _THE addiction_.  
But Sasuke had to act cool the same – so he said to Shin: "I didn't get to kill you. How stupid of me…"  
"Yep. You're stupid as I'm innocent".  
"INNOCENT? How can this shit be innocent?" answered Sasuke, pointing at _the thing_.  
He saw them both in his mind, then – Shin, his white hair looking red in Sasuke's gloom – AND THAT THING.  
That thing, which was _blacker _than Sasuke's gloom – fuller than void – emptier than air – glowing, red and black, in his own conscience.  
Sasuke was terrorized.  
Then that thing stretched out a hand, saying: "Won't you USE me?"  
Sasuke – stupidly – thought of what he had read about Uchiha-Bijuu relationship.  
He thought it was the Kyuubi again.  
He checked up his entire mind, awakening it – it was still so _little_, thought Shin.  
The addiction required perfect control over oneself – so Sasuke, doing what it asked, gained it.  
He said – or well, he thought: "Okay, I want to use it".  
And this was enough.  
His mind followed his orders – so powerfully stated, moreover.  
This meant, to his mind – an utter, immediate _necessity_.  
It did it.  
He had chosen it – Sasuke suddenly felt _hunger_ – a kind of anger he had never felt before.  
A URGING – hunger.  
'_Where is the thing I long for? WHERE IS IT? I'm hungry! I want to eat it!'  
_He wasn't acting like an animal yet. It was too early for this.  
He was still acting like a whining child – he said _I want_.  
Later on – he would change it to _I MUST.  
_The first times, or maybe the whole first session – of self-injury – he would think _I like it.  
_Later on – he would change it to _I NEED IT._  
The constituent that suddenly, right in the moment, changed its meaning was _SEEM_.  
It now meant _IS_.  
Sasuke couldn't comprehend "look like" or "seem".  
He only saw things as they were.  
He comprehended, all of a sudden, WHAT he had done to Naruto.  
What Naruto felt – WHAT happened to his brother.  
He knelt down howling in agony – then he realized the _shame_ related to his being there, in that village.  
He didn't conceive, no more – _I feel it_.  
It was only called _something to feel_.  
Whether he felt it or not – was unimportant.  
This is what self-injury changes.  
'You feel –'  
'Wait, what? WHAT? I don't understand these two words.'  
And this is why only the _innocent_ can self-injure. Self-injure – not what looks like it.

Gaara sighed, looking Shin and whispering:  
"That's it. Now?"  
Shin licked his lips as reply, walked to him and nodded – pointing prison's direction.  
"You gotta get an arm through?" laughed Gaara, totally unhappy. "I understand. Better look both ways – luckily I can't do it…"  
Shin's urging had reached an emergency state – being so near to his monkey made him lose resistance to it.  
Tsunade shook her head in hearing his report on the battle, afterwards.  
"Innocent? You're a guilty conscience…_WAIT…"  
_She turned to Naruto to ask him what she didn't understand.  
Naruto neither let her begin:  
"What's next? Mind. Reality. Truth. Actually. Matter. Future. There it is. It's simple."  
He laughed, smiling at her, then went to Itachi.  
Did you understand? Tsunade didn't. Shin laughed.  
Did I understand?  
Oh, Jesus. I wrote it.  
Shin was looking in the void – then he turned to Naruto too, gaily ignoring Tsunade (as Naruto did) and asked him – often pausing to find words and breath, and stuttering:  
"Yeah, like – the ten tails.  
Like it's – humans.  
You know – humans.  
The ninth part of your brain.  
The one left, is it – a standby? A coma?  
It's like a coma…what should we do, so interesting.  
With the other nine parts – we're all enlivening them now."  
All the others looked him bewildered. Naruto, instead, calmly answered:  
"You're such a machine, when you're high as fuck!"  
Gaara smiled. Kakashi asked:  
"What the fuck are you two talking about?"  
"Nothing, biological. Don't disturb us. We're thinking."  
Kurama laughed.

_Well there ain't no Luck in this loaded dice –  
Well there ain't no Love in this bloody diamond –_


	17. Vermillion Part Two

Vermillion Part Two

"Relax, it's over. You belong to me."  
No one understood these words, said by Itachi.  
Except, of course, Shin – who laughed.  
"My plug in, baby." He said, smiling, to Naruto.  
He continued, always smiling and laughing every now and then:  
"This was another mayhem, to you. Following my mind, I mean.  
Following my understanding.  
You are now free to walk at _your own_ fast – you have been quite wasted, walking at _mine_.  
Now it's all over.  
I always find you others _fascinating_. And stop. End of discussion.  
To find a lover, watch _out_ – you already did.  
I had, and she had a name…yeah, she had a name.  
I won't bring you forth – I will let you hold you back.  
You're with _him – _you don't need me, Jinchuuriki. Or well, you won't be my peer anymore. You're – now – my PUPIL. I'll train you – I'll be with you. You understand?"  
"Of course. You'll break the ice before me, now that you'll always be _for me_, with me."  
Shin smiled. He answered:  
"This means 'You belong to me' you understand?"  
Naruto nodded and smiled.  
Then he put out – the same machine, device he used when Naruto and Itachi found him – and Naruto could hear the type of music he put on.  
It was _happy – _joyful – relaxant and energetic.  
Shin danced, moving his hips and basin – happy, smiling contented.  
Itachi asked him to let the music sound loud.  
Shin did, smiling – Naruto understood that '_being with him' _('Itachi') was good.  
If Shin smiled, this meant it was actually _predictable_, as for him – being Shin working for _matter's good_, to matter's good it was good. Huhuhuhu…  
Then, Shin went again 'off'.  
Two hours later he woke up – neither Gaara could understand what had happened to him.  
Shin explained immediately, mentally – saying, or well thinking:  
'_I faced Orochimaru.  
He asked me to host him, he's looking for a body.  
He left that white-eyed somewhere – he was alone.  
I hosted him.  
I know – I will keep him at bay from touching the Kyuubi.  
I filled his mouth with dirt – I don't actually think he'll recover from it, soon enough – before I decode his venom.  
You understood?'  
_"YES" answered Gaara, voiced. He tried to take Shin back to _biological _life – mind.  
THIS NEEDS POETRY.  
And poetry means – defining the next times, so that when you face them – you _already know.  
_This is poetry.  
Shin was the mathematical – mechanical part of the definition.  
Gaara was the other one, the biological – the _ephemeral_ part.  
Gaara reminded Shin that everything has to be done – not _in the moment – _but FOR THE MOMENT.  
The moment, the time, now, reality.  
To be clear: Shin was the verb of a sentence, Gaara the substantive.  
Shin was the operation in a mathematical expression – Gaara was the numbers.  
Shin was the fire to cook pasta – Gaara was the pasta.  
These are complementary parts.  
Kurama watched in silence. He regretted Gaara's loss of Shukaku.  
It would be perfect…  
Tsunade cleared her throat to get their attention and said:  
"This means we will have to change some laws in Konoha.  
It's simple, _using _you, Shin.  
Konoha will have to support _– your kind of_ – couples, or you will be forced to go away, since you won't be allowed to marry here. Is it clear?"  
Jiraya asked, naively:  
"Why should Konoha care if he goes?"  
Everyone else looked him puzzled.  
Then Naruto sighed: "Huh…heterosexuals…"  
Kakashi _blushed_.  
Apparently no one remembered that _he had never said _of being nor gay nor hetero.  
And no, as far as _he_ knew he wasn't gay – yet…'_seeing the changes of state here around…'  
_Why did they _take for granted_ that he was?  
Kakashi blushed, Naruto smiled, Shin laughed, Tsunade too – only Jiraya didn't understand and looked Kakashi.  
Who blushed even more, then sighed with a light laugh, saying:  
"Jiraya, the Kyuubi."  
Jiraya said: "Aaah…huh…but you meant…" turning to Naruto "Hahahah!"  
Naruto nodded, looking Shin, and was left baffled by his expression.  
Shin looked like an evil predator in front of a helpless child.  
He slowly spelled:  
"_Your functionality is so low that I find it nearly fascinating – absurd as it is".  
_Naruto shivered, looking Gaara for help.  
Gaara shot a sidelong glance – and burst out laughing like an idiot.  
Jiraya – didn't understand a thing.

Shin had to give his proper identity to be registered as Konoha's citizen – his name was Seauton Meden.  
"My mother's surname is Agan, be it necessary".  
"How goes with Orochimaru?"  
"He's sitting still and quiet playing chess. I think he's slowly regressing. He's more and more childish. He actually sees me as stronger – lucky of him, I can't  
_chew _things inside my mind".  
Tsunade shook, asking: "What about chewing?"  
"What did you think I did to Hidan and the other's minds?" he said, smiling – creepier than Orochimaru.  
He continued:  
"Human minds aren't meat that I eat – but there's always some good blood to drain and drink out there.  
Don't worry, I only exterminate what they call _themselves_ – that paper doll always changing face and voice.  
Decaying, it leaves a free place.  
There they will rebuild something better – they just aren't able to _upgrade_ things in their mind…OH, THIS IS THE DIFFERENCE!  
I got it now!" he said, smiling, to Naruto.  
"How lucky of me, to be me!"  
Tsunade looked him, mouth opened and numb eyes:  
"You say…you…you mean…we _can change them_?"  
"Of course.  
Anything inside your mind, you created it.  
You can tear it apart and recombine it.  
It's always your creation – yourself too.  
Your soul too, your feelings too, your _will _too.  
I only make you change it.  
You always trust me more than yourself – so you DOsomething I tell you is right, and you tell yourself is wrong.  
I fill your mouth with dirt.  
You're so coward – you could do now the same I do.  
I loved myself…" he paused laughing. "I loved myself from the beginning.  
All I thought was: '_I am mine, I will always be mine. I belong to me…I would kill me to love'_ and then I couldn't apply '_ME_'.  
'_Me_', is '_living-_', '_existing ME_'.  
'_Not existing Me_' isn't simply possible for me to conceive.  
So? '_Kill Me_' means '_Not existing Me'_.  
So?  
No, I wouldn't _'kill me'_. '_Love me_' is taken for granted.  
So, what's optional?  
'_Kill me_'. No, I wouldn't kill me.  
You may say logic is blind, since it doesn't see casuistic, pieces of matter?  
My dear, logic doesn't need it.  
It foresaw them – without seeing them, logic already _knows_ they are here now.  
THAT'S WHAT LOGIC IS FOR.  
I never gave a fuck about casuistic.  
I use it only to drain out logic – I need logic, not casuistic.  
It's like a chewing gum, right?  
Chew it and spit.  
Don't swallow it. You don't digest it.  
Your problem is, too – you have a too little room for thinking.  
Enlarge your RAM. Strengthen your legs and widen your shoulders, my dear.  
Oh, that's why – you see? It yields!  
Your RAM is little, since you fill your mind with _casuistic!  
_And that's the same reason for which you aren't able to _work a second time_ on your own creations!  
Your hands can't work if the arms are tired – and the arms are tired since the shoulders are loaded!  
_You can't run carrying a burden!  
_That is so simple. Now I have to eat, excuse me.  
Doctor…" he smiled dubbing Tsunade so. "It seems something is working again, here inside".  
He pointed his neck saying this, leaving Tsunade only more baffled.  
"HOW CAN YOU KNOW…?"  
There in Konoha, neurologists had just discovered that the part of the brain that links more strictly _mind to body_ is the LITTLE BRAIN.  
There, where Shin pointed.  
_That's what logic's for…  
_Shin sighed, looking Tsunade.  
"I hope you still want to treat me.  
I spilled my life into a desert to not desert it. See?  
Any desert needs only water to liven up anew."  
He paused smiling and looking Gaara.  
"Any hourglass dreams of losing its sand in a desert."  
Gaara burst out laughing.

"_Because I'll laugh on one of them – it will be for you as all stars were laughing.  
You'll have, alone, stars able to laugh…"_


End file.
